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.
He said that while the result was within his expectations, he felt that awareness of the independence movement and its grievances had been raised.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
“Sopranos” star Sigler, who has been living with MS for more than a decade, assured her co-host that the misdiagnosis changes nothing about Applegate’s efforts to bring awareness to MS or to educate listeners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
During a 2021 interview with Uncut, Love reflected on the message behind the Beach Boys’ song “Don’t Go Near the Water,” which addressed environmental pollution and encouraged greater awareness of humanity’s impact on the planet.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
Beth Dobbin is so determined to raise awareness of the illness that has decimated her life that she is speaking out, despite knowing it could trigger a brutal deterioration in her health.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
“It’s as much of a thing as your ‘social awareness society’ or whatever you call it.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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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.
