awareness
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of awareness
Explanation
Awareness is the state of knowing something, such as the awareness that the sun comes up every morning. The adjective aware gets turned into a noun when the suffix -ness is added, so awareness is the state of being aware, or having knowledge of something. Its roots are Germanic, and come from the Old English wær meaning "wary, cautious." Awareness can be something you notice, want to tell others about, or already know. You could "raise awareness" of a cause, like fighting breast cancer. Yet, your awareness of the baby sleeping next door might prevent you from having band practice in the garage. Smart move.
Vocabulary lists containing awareness
Legend
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Schooled
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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.
In recent years, Ledward has advocated for colon cancer awareness and spoken at multiple events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The biggest hurdles to all eligible families receiving the free $1,000 may be either a lack of public awareness or bureaucratic hurdles, some researchers have said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
It also raises awareness for organizations including Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Bay Area Autism Collective, the lawmakers said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Since her death, Simone's family and her best friend Bethany have been pushing for greater awareness of the dangers of methanol through their MethaKnow campaign.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
I found this awareness that if I could beat Sonia, then I could beat anyone.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
