unconsciously

American  

[uhn-kon-shuhs-lee] / ʌnˈkɒn ʃəs li /

adverb

1. unintentionally and without realizing what one is doing.

   Unconsciously, almost in spite of herself, she sighed.

2. at a level below that of conscious thought.

   Children are unconsciously influenced by the appearance and personalities of their parents to choose partners who resemble them.

3. without any awareness, sensation, or cognition at all.

   As her mind drifted into a cloud of darkness and she lost all feeling, her body unconsciously fought the force of gravity pushing against it.

---

Other Word Forms

• quasi-unconsciously adverb

Etymology

Origin of unconsciously

unconscious ( def. ) + -ly

Compare meaning

How does unconsciously compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• subconsciously vs. unconsciously

Example Sentences

And I knew instantly that whatever he meant was tangled and that my warmth might feel like comfort to him, but also, unconsciously, like danger.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

Some films cast the King of the Monsters as a protector unconsciously joining humanity – and occasionally, King Kong – to fend off some mammoth existential evil.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

Waking up on time is no fun, but some people swear they simply can’t do it, sleeping through alarms or unconsciously shutting them off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

"Europe has a number of cards up its sleeve -- and it's chosen consciously or unconsciously not to use them," said the German Marshall Fund's Varma.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

A rash eagerness had overcome him, to go into his study and reply to Ifemelu’s e-mail, something he had unconsciously been composing in his mind.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• unintentionally
• unknowingly
• unwittingly