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
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.
Panda Express is expanding its marketing in Roblox and Fortnite, saying initial forays like integrating its panda mascot and Original Orange Chicken boosted brand awareness and restaurant visits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
"The inquest into Mia's death illustrates just how far we still have to go to improve awareness, understanding and regulation of food allergies," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The Rev. Canon Jaime Edwards-Acton of St. Stephen’s Hollywood, said the pilgrimage was to bring awareness to the people who have died at Adelanto and other facilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
He said his clients believed it was important to raise awareness of the dangers teenage girls face on social media.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
And a new dimension entered the combat: a father’s awareness of a growing son, the son as challenger, the son as threat, the son as successor, the son as man.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
