consciousness
noun
con·scious·ness
ˈkän(t)-shəs-nəs 
1
a
: the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself
b
: the state or fact of being conscious of an external object, state, or fact
c
: awareness
especially
: concern for some social or political cause
The organization aims to raise the political consciousness of teenagers.
2
: the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought : mind
3
: the totality of conscious states of an individual
4
: the normal state of conscious life
regained consciousness
5
: the upper level of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes
Examples of consciousness in a Sentence
The medication caused her to enter an altered state of consciousness.
The events have become part of the national consciousness.
He hopes that he can raise public consciousness of the disease.
Recent Examples on the Web
The last crypto cycle saw a variety of experimentation with the concept, but these attempts ran into product-market fit and regulatory barriers, and thus have not ascended into the mainstream consciousness.
—
Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Elisabeth spent every morning of that next year at the hospital, talking to her son in hopes of bringing him back to consciousness.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 30 July 2025
The Health Resources and Services Administration found that the organization had overlooked signs of increasing consciousness in 73 potential donors.
—Lila Hempel-Edgers
july 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2025
Heat stroke symptoms Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech
Loss of consciousness (coma)
Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
Seizures
Very high body temperature
Treatment for heat stroke:
Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately.
—Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for consciousness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Elisabeth spent every morning of that next year at the hospital, talking to her son in hopes of bringing him back to consciousness.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 30 July 2025
The Health Resources and Services Administration found that the organization had overlooked signs of increasing consciousness in 73 potential donors.
—Lila Hempel-Edgers
july 29, Charlotte Observer, 29 July 2025
Heat stroke symptoms Confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech
Loss of consciousness (coma)
Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
Seizures
Very high body temperature
Treatment for heat stroke:
Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately.
—Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for consciousness
Cite this Entry
“Consciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consciousness. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
consciousness
noun
con·scious·ness
ˈkän-chəs-nəs
1
: the condition of being conscious
2
: the normal state of conscious life in contrast to sleep or an insensible state
3
: the part of mental life that involves conscious thought and awareness
Medical Definition
consciousness
noun
con·scious·ness
ˈkän-chə-snəs
1
: the totality in psychology of sensations, perceptions, ideas, attitudes, and feelings of which an individual or a group is aware at any given time or within a given time span
altered states of consciousness, such as sleep, dreaming and hypnosis—Bob Gaines
Bob Gaines2
: waking life (as that to which one returns after sleep, trance, or fever) in which one's normal mental powers are present
the ether wore off and the patient regained consciousness
3
: the upper part of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes
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