awareness

American  

[uh-wair-nis] / əˈwɛər nɪs /

noun

1. the state or condition of being aware; having knowledge; consciousness.

   The object of the information drive is to raise awareness of what spreads HIV/AIDS.

---

Other Word Forms

• hyperawareness
  noun
• overawareness
  noun
• self-awareness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of awareness

aware + -ness

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.

Example Sentences

Local demand prompted him to write an article about the “ear elevation technique” to increase awareness of the procedure outside of Asia.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

"Because of a lack of social skills, social awareness and social norms, behaviour occurred which, put bluntly, shouldn't have."

From BBC • May 6, 2026

"Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors – and all survivors – is a goal that we stand behind."

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Telescopes and thermometers do not change the world around them as saws and hammers do, but they change our awareness of the world.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• alertness
• appreciation
• attention
• consciousness
• information
• perception
• realization
• recognition
• understanding