self-conscious
Origin of self-conscious
OTHER WORDS FROM self-conscious
self-con·scious·ly, adverbself-con·scious·ness, nounWords nearby self-conscious
MORE ABOUT SELF CONSCIOUS
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 oneâs existence.
Example: She says she never wears short-sleeved shirts because sheâs self-conscious about the way her arms look.
Where does self-conscious come from?
The first records of self-conscious come from the 1600s, but it didnât begin to be used in its current sense until around the 1800s. Conscious comes from the Latin conscius, which means âsharing knowledgeâ and is based on the Latin scÄ«re, âto know.â In general, conscious means âaware of oneâs own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.â In self-conscious, though, it means something more like âsensitive to somethingââthat something being what others think about oneself.
If a person is self-conscious, they are likely also shy, easily embarrassed, and anxious. If a person is self-conscious in general, it usually means they are very sensitive to how other people perceive them, think about them, or judge themâthey feel peopleâs eyes on them all the time. Some people might not be self-conscious in general, but about something specific. This could be an aspect of their appearance that theyâre insecure about, such as their skin, their teeth, or their height. Or it could be something they feel uncomfortable doing in front of other people, such as performing in front of a crowd. People who are not otherwise self-conscious may sometimes feel that way around people who theyâve just met, especially if theyâre trying to make a good impression. A lot of people agree that the best way to avoid feeling self-conscious is to be yourself and be comfortable with who you areâto be self-confident.
Self-conscious does not mean the same thing as self–aware, which refers to having an active awareness of your feelings and how you treat others.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to self-conscious?
- self-consciously (adverb)
- self-consciousness (noun)
What are some synonyms for self-conscious?
What are some words that share a root or word element with self-conscious?Â
What are some words that often get used in discussing self–conscious?
What are some words self-conscious may be commonly confused with?
How is self-conscious used in real life?
Feeling self-conscious is never pleasant, so the term is always used negatively. It can be used to describe a general feeling, or a specific insecurity about something.
I dunno who needs this video today, but I got about a thousand comments from young people on my Instagram about how itâs made them feel less self conscious about their arms. Nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to any part of your body jiggling. We are people, not statues.â€ïž https://t.co/N3odPHoZL5
— Jameela Jamil đ (@jameelajamil) March 1, 2020
"Sheâs always really self-conscious about playing. Sheâs actually a really good guitarist. She played Joan Jett and sheâs playing all the time in that. Sheâs really good, but she always denies it, especially in interviews all the time. Sheâs a good singer, as well." Robert pic.twitter.com/iIzntFeoZw
— E (@RKmyBabies) March 3, 2020
You should never be self conscious around me. I love you, never judge you, love you unfiltered and want you to feel free saying whatever is on your mind.
No matter how stupid it makes you sound.
— Cabođł (@Shot_Of_Cabo) March 9, 2020
Try using self-conscious!
Which of the following words is an antonym (opposite) of self-conscious?
A. timid
B. awkward
C. anxious
D. confident