consciousness

American  

[kon-shuhs-nis] / ˈkɒn ʃəs nɪs /

noun

1. the state of being conscious; awareness of one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.

2. the thoughts and feelings, collectively, of an individual or of an aggregate of people.

   the moral consciousness of a nation.

3. full activity of the mind and senses, as in waking life.

   to regain consciousness after fainting.

4. awareness of something for what it is; internal knowledge.

   consciousness of wrongdoing.

5. concern, interest, or acute awareness.

   class consciousness.

6. the mental activity of which a person is aware as contrasted with unconscious mental processes.

7. Philosophy. the mind or the mental faculties as characterized by thought, feelings, and volition.

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idioms

1. raise one's consciousness, to increase one's awareness and understanding of one's own needs, behavior, attitudes, etc., especially as a member of a particular social or political group.

Other Word Forms

• underconsciousness noun

Etymology

Origin of consciousness

First recorded in 1625–35; conscious + -ness

Example Sentences

Koch, who works at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and previously taught at MIT and Caltech, has played a major role in advancing the study of consciousness.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

Trump's generation grew up with images of astronaut Neil Armstrong taking his historic first steps on the moon in July 1969 - they are etched on their collective consciousness.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Through methods like search engine optimization and other nifty page-ranking subterfuge, this nonverified content climbs to the top of search results and people’s consciousness.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

An Olympic gold medalist long before reality TV fame, Jenner reentered public consciousness through a show about nothing.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

For a time, her sisters, Kate and Maggie Fox, held greater power and a larger place in the public consciousness as the original spirit mediums.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• alertness
• apprehension
• awareness
• recognition
• sensibility