conscious

adjective

ˈkän(t)-shəs How to pronounce conscious (audio)
Definition of consciousnext
1
as in aware
having specified facts or feelings actively impressed on the mind conscious of the fact that my hands were sweating the whole time that I was making my presentation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing a conscious effort to instill discord in the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective conscious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of conscious are alive, awake, aware, cognizant, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

How are the words alive and sensible related as synonyms of conscious?

Alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

In what contexts can awake take the place of conscious?

While in some cases nearly identical to conscious, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

When might aware be a better fit than conscious?

In some situations, the words aware and conscious are roughly equivalent. However, aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

When can cognizant be used instead of conscious?

The synonyms cognizant and conscious are sometimes interchangeable, but cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When is sensible a more appropriate choice than conscious?

The words sensible and conscious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conscious The Justice Department shared the FBI's safety tip for victims, teens and parents in the release, where the FBI said to be conscious of what's shared online and who can access their information. —Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025 But the players around him will need to be conscious defensively to get the most out of him. —Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 Most of them went by quickly enough to evade conscious perception, but the overall effect was unsettling. —Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 So that was a very conscious call, along with the choice of basing it in a particular weather, which is monsoon, because the characters don’t really have any happiness or sunshine in their life. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conscious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conscious
  1. aware
  2. deliberate
  3. voluntary
  4. intentional
  5. intended
  6. willed
Adjective
  • Gong and his family members are aware of the filmmakers, even mention the filming, yet remain largely unselfconscious in front of the cameras.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Our brains are aware of inconsistencies in the imagery at a detailed level, even if the exact nature of these inconsistencies eludes our conscious perception.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of aware
Adjective
  • Be deliberate about your communications with the federal agency and offer any questions and rebuttals in writing.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Many people have perceived his walking off set and the Instagram story as a deliberate snub.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • What's Being Recalled And Why The voluntary recall was initiated by Cabot’s parent company, Agri-Mark, Inc., on March 26, 2025, after internal testing detected elevated levels of coliform bacteria.
    — Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • In the letter, DeJoy told lawmakers that the agency plans to cut 10,000 employees through voluntary early retirement efforts.
    — Filip Timotija, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of voluntary
Adjective
  • These new regulations are meant to reduce the chances of intentional or unintentional targeting of white sharks, which not only harms the animals but also increases public safety risks.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • This is often not intentional fraud but is due to the handler not understanding the difference between an ESA and a service dog.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of intentional
Adjective
  • For now, the most exclusive address in American diplomacy stands empty, its intended resident sidelined by the tough math of congressional politics.
    — Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
  • An average dE of below 2 indicates color accurate enough that a casual observer may be unable to distinguish any variation between the color on screen and the intended (source) color.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of intended
Adjective
  • Carnegie is convinced that sincerity is as easily willed as a ready smile and a memory for names.
    — Ann Hulbert, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The entire texture of that life, its willed imposture.
    — Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of willed

Browse Nearby Words

conscionable
conscious
consciously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscious. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on conscious

Nglish: Translation of conscious for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Popular

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All