awareness

noun

aware·​ness ə-ˈwer-nəs How to pronounce awareness (audio)
: the quality or state of being aware : knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists
promoting a heightened awareness of the problem
seemed to have only a slight awareness of what was going on
an acute awareness of subtle differences
They hope to raise awareness of endangered species, encouraging donations and attracting tourists to the region to support conservation efforts.New Scientist
The alternative press played a particularly important role in raising political awareness and facilitating mobilization against the regime in South Africa …Larry Diamond

Examples of awareness in a Sentence

while strolling in the big city, maintain an awareness of what's going on around you
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Being an advocate for disability awareness and disabled motherhood has also become a part of her platform as the current title holder of Miss Queen Central Alberta with Personality Pageants Canada. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025 Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 Some of these changemakers work to raise awareness of the mental health burdens of the illness, others elevate standards of care for pregnant people, and still others try to bring essential resources to countries with limited health-care availability. Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025 EagleEye builds upon Anduril’s ongoing work with the US Army’s Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC) and Soldier Borne Mission Command–Architecture (SBMC-A) programs, mixed-reality platforms that enhance situational awareness and decision-making in combat environments. Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for awareness

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of awareness was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Awareness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awareness. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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