awareness
Americannoun
-
awareness
plural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of awareness
Explanation
Awareness is the state of knowing something, such as the awareness that the sun comes up every morning. The adjective aware gets turned into a noun when the suffix -ness is added, so awareness is the state of being aware, or having knowledge of something. Its roots are Germanic, and come from the Old English wær meaning "wary, cautious." Awareness can be something you notice, want to tell others about, or already know. You could "raise awareness" of a cause, like fighting breast cancer. Yet, your awareness of the baby sleeping next door might prevent you from having band practice in the garage. Smart move.
Vocabulary lists containing awareness
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This awareness of body position, known as proprioception, was once thought to exist only in animals.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
"They call it the silent disease," says Dr Suma Uday, a paediatric endocrinologist who wants to raise awareness of the problem.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
That awareness may help you respond with more compassion and equanimity, even if his words hurt.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
In 1994, Barrie was diagnosed with rectal cancer, prompting her to raise awareness about the disease.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
I’ve been making YouTube videos for about half that time to raise awareness about cystic fibrosis.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
