Words / A2

uh-LYV/əˈlaɪv/

Alive means living, not dead: still alive, the city comes alive at night (extra, figurative). Living is a cousin. Dead is the opposite. Alike means similar. A live concert uses live as an adjective with a different pattern. Do not write alive when you mean alike, or a live.

Meaning

Living; not dead.

Examples

• “The guide was glad the lost dog was still alive.”
• “The lost cat was alive and waiting by the bins.”
• “The old town comes alive when the market opens.”

Good to know

still alive / come alive. Opposite: dead. Mix-up: alike, a live.

Near in meaning

living

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