awareness
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
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
Legend
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Schooled
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Earth Day
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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.
Later that same day, Epstein responded, “I would argue that there is no awareness or consciousness there is only chemistry.”
From Salon • May 19, 2026
Digital literacy hasn't kept pace, Gupta says, but adds that things are slowly changing due to public awareness campaigns and reporting in the media.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
The research team says greater awareness of colorectal cancer symptoms could help improve earlier detection.
From Science Daily • May 15, 2026
Bottomless deals can build “brand awareness for the short term,” said Miller, who helped Sonic Drive-In develop its digital strategy.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
For more than six years now, Barack and I had lived with an awareness that we ourselves were a provocation.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions 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.
