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

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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 Much of its effectiveness as a biological signal comes from its ability to bypass conscious thought. —Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025 Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist for LPL Financial, said in a statement to Fortune that consumers appeared to be price conscious, as nonstore retail sales contributed over half of the monthly gain. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025 Previous research in various areas, including visual search and attention, has shown that conscious and unconscious memories guide our gaze. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025 The Mercer County Sheriff's Office in Ohio found 89-year-old Roger Stachler alive and conscious in a cornfield on Tuesday morning, after a multiagency search that included drones, local fire departments and state aviation resources. —Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 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
  • Many of these guests were not aware of CGTN’s links to Beijing.
    — Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 17 Sep. 2025
  • That’s why Marino would like more people to be aware of MASH and get checked for it.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of aware
Adjective
  • This reframes usage as deliberate practice rather than digital grazing.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • To this end, instead of complexity, the team showed that deliberate simplification (a minimalist molecule) is the key.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • Debtor filed a voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Earlier this year, LNK International issued a voluntary recall of its Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion medication sold at Costco due to a batch mistakenly being released after it was rejected for potential foreign material contamination.
    — MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of voluntary
Adjective
  • Two innings later, Kershaw hit Aaron Rowand — a beaning that was deemed intentional.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Leaders can schedule intentional slow phases after major sprints for reflection, skill-building, or lighter workloads.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of intentional
Adjective
  • Beck took ownership of his two interceptions — one that came late in the first half with Miami trying to pad its lead before the break, the second which was tipped by Malachi Toney on its way to its intended target in Tony Johnson.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
  • To successfully operationalize GenAI, businesses must double down on focus—first, with FLMs and their domain-specific data training, and second, with focused domain usage, by defining knowledge anchors for intended use.
    — Scott Zoldi, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of intended
Adjective
  • Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Claiborne said the property was eventually willed to Vanderbilt University, which in turn sold it to the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County in 1968.
    — Austin Hornbostel, The Tennessean, 4 July 2025
Definition of willed

Browse Nearby Words

conscionable
conscious
consciously
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Cite this Entry

“Conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscious. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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