self-conscious
Americanadjective
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excessively aware of being observed by others.
-
conscious of oneself or one's own being.
adjective
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unduly aware of oneself as the object of the attention of others; embarrassed
-
conscious of one's existence
Usage
What does self-conscious mean? Self-conscious means overly aware of and sensitive to attention from others, often to the point of feeling anxious or embarrassed. In this sense, self-conscious is always used negatively. A person can be self-conscious in general, or about a particular aspect of themselves. Much less commonly, it is used to mean aware of one’s existence. Example: She says she never wears short-sleeved shirts because she’s self-conscious about the way her arms look.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of self-conscious
First recorded in 1670–80
Explanation
Use the adjective self-conscious to describe someone who is ill at ease or uncomfortable with himself. A self-conscious person might worry about how he looks or whether he's saying the right things. Being self-conscious goes beyond just being aware of yourself — when you're self-conscious, you constantly question the way you appear to others. You might feel self-conscious when you stand in front of a group to give a speech, or when you're trying out for a movie or a play. The word first meant "conscious of one's own action" when it emerged in the 1680s, and by 1830s it had come to mean "preoccupied with one's own personality."
Vocabulary lists containing self-conscious
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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.
So when Chris, self conscious around his older, cooler friends, blurts that he’s half Asian, I recognized my teenage self in him.
From Salon • Aug. 31, 2024
The neck brace she has been wearing, even while sleeping, has caused some to stare when she is out and about which she admitted made her feel "self conscious".
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2023
“At my age it isn’t easy. I’m almost 45. Honestly I despise the gym. I feel self conscious and anxious when I’m there.”
From Fox News • Nov. 27, 2018
She said Nicole, a seventh grader, was self conscious about her medical complications that left her with a scar on her neck and stomach, but that January night, she had “a secret date.”
From Washington Post • Feb. 6, 2018
There was a self conscious giggling among the hunters.
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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.
