When this term became popularized, initially the meaning of this term was when an individual become more aware of the social injustice. Or basically, any current affairs related like biased, discrimination, or double-standards.

However, as time passed by, people started using this term recklessly, assigning this term to themselves or someone they know to boost their confidence and reassure them that they have the moral high grounds and are fighting for the better world. And sometimes even using it as a way to protect themselves from other people's opinion, by considering the 'outsider' as non-woke. While people that are in line with their belief as woke. Meaning that those 'outsiders' have been brainwash by the society and couldn't see the truth. Thus, filtering everything that the 'outsider' gives regardless whether it is rationale or not.

And as of now, the original meaning is slowly fading and instead, is used more often to term someone as hypocritical and think they are the 'enlightened' despite the fact that they are extremely close-minded and are unable to accept other people's criticism or different perspective. Especially considering the existence of echo chamber(media) that helped them to find other like-minded individuals, thus, further solidifying their 'progressive' opinion.
1st paragraph
"Damn bro, I didn't realize racism is such a major issue in our country! I'm a woke now!"

2nd paragraph
"I can't believe this. How are they so close-minded? Can't they see just how toxic our society is? The solution is so simple, yet they refused to change! I just don't understand!"

3rd paragraph
"Fatphobic?! Misogyny?! What's wrong with preferring a thin woman?! And she is morbidly obese for god sake! Why should I be attracted to her?! Why should I lower myself while she refuse to better herself?! These woke people are a bunch of ridiculous hypocrite!"
by OneWhoShallNotBeName January 9, 2023
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Although an incorrect tense of awake, a reference to how people should be aware in current affairs.
"While you are obessing with the Kardashians, there are millions of homeless in the world. STAY WOKE"
by Lolak September 1, 2015
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Umbrella term for individuals who are engrossed by social justice and thinks of themselves as saviors with a moral high ground, but remain willfully ignorant to the irrationality of their claims and the problems they create. These individuals give special treatment to certain minorities in hopes of ending racism and perpetuate mental illnesses as the norm.
My son's woke kindergarten teacher taught him that he's actually a girl because he played with dolls.
by sealcake May 27, 2022
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Spiritual and intellectual enlightenment, like waking up from a deep sleep and seeing things clearly for the first time.
I never knew what really mattered in life. Now I'm woke.
by JTWoke January 7, 2018
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Cultural Marxism

"Woke" is a colloquial term used to describe the manifestation of the latest iteration of Marxist principles as they are when applied to culture rather than economics. They've been targeting culture instead of economics roughly since the 1950s, when the Frankfurt school's adherents (Adorno, Marcuse, Horkheimer, Löwenthal etc) started moving to the States and other western nations. That's when they realized that focusing on economics and the class structure wasn't going to work, so they decided to try focusing on grievance groups instead (women and minorities), ergo you got MLK and his movement (and its modern versions like BLM), rainbow movements, feminist movements etc, which all get their philosophical and moral frameworks from cultural marxism.

Bonus fun fact: This definition is so accurate that Wikipedia has page dedicated to it calling it a, "far-right conspiracy theory", lol.
Normal person: Hey did you see the new intern? He's doing well.
Woke person: Don't assume their gender! They are just part of the patriarchy! I'm so tolerant of everything as long as it fits perfectly into my made-up worldview that I'm going to force everyone else to be part of and agree with! Agree with our group or you're the enemy bigot! You're either oppressed or an oppressor!
by ApplesPotatoGardner April 7, 2023
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An oxymoron term used to describe the many indoctrinated & radically left-wing people of today's world who are obsessed with jumping on whatever mainstream bandwagon is necessary to feel included, though ironically being the most intolerant and hypocritical people on the planet.

The irony is the term should be used if correctly to describe those who are 'awake' to the modern world however these people are so closed minded they cannot think critically, and are actually 'asleep.'
'Hey did you hear about Danny dying his hair green just to fit in at college?'

'Aw really!? Danny's gone woke!?'
by Llewelyn Dowd January 13, 2023
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Originally defined as "being aware of social and racial injustice in the United States", due to constant overuse it has degenerated into a meaningless word with no agreed upon definition. It has replaced the term "libretard" in modern online discourse.

"Woke" is most commonly used as an insult aimed towards people with progressive ideals, and depending on who you ask it could range from describing someone who pretends to be open-minded, to describing any person who disagrees with conservative values, to anyone who attempts positive depictions of women and minorities in media.
Brian: "The Buzz Lightyear movie had two women kissing in it? Damn liberals and their woke agenda ruining everything."
James: "It was a 2 second scene and the character didn't show up again."
by lacergunn February 15, 2023
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