Wakeful

adj.capable, resilientliterary

What it means

Fully awake and able to notice what is happening.

Reach for it when describing alertness during a time when sleep or inattention would be expected

The wakeful nurse heard the faint change in the monitor before its alarm sounded.

playful
bright-eyed
when fresh morning energy is part of the compliment
not when Bright-eyed feels too cheerful for an overnight vigil or anxious sleeplessness.
everyday
alert
when quick awareness of changes or danger is central
not when Daytime alertness does not indicate that someone remained wakeful overnight.
everyday
restless
when inability to settle is more important than useful alertness
not when Restless often signals discomfort, making it poor praise for calm readiness.
everyday
wide-awake
when complete freedom from drowsiness should sound conversational
not when Wide-awake is less graceful in reflective or literary writing.
warm
watchful
when alertness is directed toward another person's safety
not when Watchful may continue over many hours without emphasizing sleeplessness.
professional
attentive
when sustained focus on a person or task deserves praise
not when Attentive suits careful listening, but it says nothing about resisting sleep.
formal
vigilant
when watchfulness protects against a specific risk
not when Vigilant sounds threat-focused if the scene is simply quiet nighttime awareness.
literary
clear-eyed
when alert perception is also realistic and unsentimental
not when Clear-eyed concerns judgment, so it is inaccurate for wakefulness without insight.

wakeful night
During the wakeful night, Tomas quietly checked every shelter room.
remain wakeful
The lookout managed to remain wakeful through the stillest hours.
wakeful attention
Her wakeful attention caught the child calling softly from upstairs.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.