conscientious
Americanadjective
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governed by conscience; controlled by or done according to one's inner sense of what is right; principled.
She's a conscientious judge, who does not let personal prejudices influence her decisions.
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careful and painstaking; particular; meticulous; scrupulous.
conscientious application to the work at hand.
adjective
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involving or taking great care; painstaking; diligent
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governed by or done according to conscience
Synonym Usage
See painstaking.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conscientious
First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin conscientiōsus, equivalent to Latin conscienti(a) conscience + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
If someone is conscientious, that person strives to do what's right and to carry out her duties. Conscientious people show care and put in a big effort. Being conscientious has to do with being careful, thoughtful, and decent. A conscientious doctor will do everything possible to help a patient. A conscientious teacher will spend extra time with students, just to make sure they're learning. A boss wishes every worker could be conscientious: it's a rare and wonderful trait. To be conscientious, you have to be willing to do the right thing even when it's difficult. Unfortunately, many people aren't conscientious.
Vocabulary lists containing conscientious
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Great Gatsby
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Labor Day Lexicon: Words That Put You To Work
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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’s grateful that he and his wife were conscientious about their finances, so he doesn’t have to worry about downshifting his career or the costs of her care, Matthews said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
National Service was spent, like his father, as a conscientious objector.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
While Raymond was said to be conscientious and loyal to close associates, he commanded a mixture of respect and fear, and his demeanor occasionally rankled fellow employees, competitors and outsiders such as Wall Street analysts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Mike Prysner, the executive director of the Center on Conscience and War, a group that provides legal support and counsel for conscientious objectors, told Salon that they have seen a huge increase in interest.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
I took dinner usually at the Yale Club--for some reason it was the gloomiest event of my day--and then I went upstairs to the library and studied investments and securities for a conscientious hour.
From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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.
