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Synonyms

conscientious

American  
[kon-shee-en-shuhs, kon-see-] / ˌkɒn ʃiˈɛn ʃəs, ˌkɒn si- /

adjective

  1. 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.

    Synonyms:
    dedicated, devoted, faithful, honest, upright, just
  2. careful and painstaking; particular; meticulous; scrupulous.

    conscientious application to the work at hand.


conscientious British  
/ ˌkɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəs /

adjective

  1. involving or taking great care; painstaking; diligent

  2. governed by or done according to conscience

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See painstaking.

Other Word Forms

  • conscientiously adverb
  • conscientiousness noun
  • hyperconscientious adjective
  • hyperconscientiously adverb
  • hyperconscientiousness noun
  • overconscientious adjective
  • overconscientiously adverb
  • unconscientious adjective
  • unconscientiously adverb
  • unconscientiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of conscientious

First recorded in 1605–15; from Medieval Latin conscientiōsus, equivalent to Latin conscienti(a) conscience + -ōsus -ous

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.

Rhondda Cynon Taf council said it was "important to find the right balance between deterring what is blatant and reckless vandalism of this beautiful landscape, with the enjoyment of the thousands of conscientious visitors".

From BBC

Prof Jeremy Horder, a criminal law expert at London School of Economics, said he feared an "over-broad false statement law" could "have an unduly chilling effect on the speech of conscientious people and media outlets".

From BBC

Ms. Doucet populates the book with sympathetic characters—the “real cement and steel of the Inter-Con”—conscientious and kind Afghans who keep the hotel going as regimes collapse, rulers change, mores alter.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet whenever Americans leave their houses, they see their country full of conscientious, smart, hard-working people, some of whom already work in politics at the state and local level.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the show’s sophisticated storytelling and trove of rare artifacts are most likely to delight conscientious tourists and the already historically engaged.

From The Wall Street Journal