adjective
alive
uh-LYV
adjective
1
Living; not dead.
"The doctors managed to keep him alive through the night."
"Is the old man still alive?"
2
Still active, in force, or in existence.
"Keep the tradition alive by teaching it to your children."
"The debate is still very much alive among scientists."
3
Full of activity or energy; buzzing with people or things.
"The market was alive with shouting traders and street performers."
"On a Saturday night the whole street comes alive."
4
Aware of or sensitive to something.
"She has always been alive to the needs of her students."
"Good managers stay alive to changes in the market."
How to Use Alive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot dead — or, more broadly, still active, energetic, or switched on to something.
Common mistake
Alive is not normally used directly before a noun ("an alive dog" sounds wrong) — say "a living dog" instead; alive goes after the noun or verb ("the dog is alive").
Common pairings
still alive
come alive
alive and well
alive to the danger
Word Forms
more alive comparative, most alive superlative
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Etymology
From Old English on līfe, literally "in life" — the same phrase that gives us the shortened word "life" fused into one.