consciously
Americanadverb
-
with knowledge or awareness of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc..
Negative attitudes can be reinforced, both consciously and unconsciously, by teachers, parents, and peers.
At any moment we probably aren't consciously aware of most of the sounds around us.
-
with clear intent; deliberately.
The need to consciously make time for exercise is a relatively recent phenomenon.
-
in a way that is sustainable, or with awareness of one’s effect on the environment, society, etc..
Shop locally and consciously, and support a business that supports our community.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of consciously
Explanation
When you do something consciously, you do it on purpose, after thinking seriously about it. A kindergarten teacher might consciously choose a soothing book to calm his class down at story time. If you do something instinctively or automatically, you're not consciously choosing to do it — it's just happening. On the other hand, if you consciously invite only friends who get along with each other to your party, you've done it in a thoughtful, intentional way. The adverb consciously comes from conscious, "aware and awake," from the Latin conscius, "knowing or aware," which has a Greek root, syneidos, "to know."
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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.
They had goals to meet and, consciously or not, they did not adhere to professional and personal decorum in order to achieve those goals.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
People can consciously adjust when and how they laugh depending on the situation.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026
I didn’t consciously try to make records in that style because I don’t think I could have — not as well as they were being made anyway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
“I consciously avoid using it for certain tasks, like writing in English, because those are mental muscles I depend on,” he told me.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
So far, we have been discussing transformations of wild plants into crops as a result of selection by farmers, consciously or unconsciously.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
