consciousness

noun

con·​scious·​ness ˈkän(t)-shəs-nəs 

1

a

: the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself

b

: the state or fact of being conscious of an external object, state, or fact

c

: awareness

especially : concern for some social or political cause

The organization aims to raise the political consciousness of teenagers.

2

: the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought : mind

3

: the totality of conscious states of an individual

4

: the normal state of conscious life

regained consciousness

5

: the upper level of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes

Synonyms of consciousness

• awareness
• attention
• mindfulness

Examples of consciousness in a Sentence

The medication caused her to enter an altered state of consciousness.

The events have become part of the national consciousness.

He hopes that he can raise public consciousness of the disease.

Recent Examples on the Web

Woven through the movie are hundreds of photographs that were shot by Richard Avedon, and there’s no question that the images are stunning, but the way the movie layers them into your consciousness is nearly musical in its finesse. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026

By the late twentieth century, nature photography and film had become not only a way of seeing, but also a way of caring—shaping public consciousness about endangered species, vanishing habitats, and the fragility of ecosystems. — Andrew Zuckerman, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2026

That Barbier left his wife and baby daughter in Gary, Indiana, shortly after Snider’s death and moved to Missouri also indicated consciousness of guilt, Siefert said. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

Social and political consciousness, facilitated by education and social exposure creates new needs and ambitions. — Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see conscious entry 1

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing consciousness

• consciousness-raising
• hyper-consciousness
• lose consciousness
• regain consciousness
• social consciousness
• stream of consciousness
• unself-consciousness

Rhymes for consciousness

• unconsciousness

Kids Definition

consciousness

noun

con·​scious·​ness ˈkän-chəs-nəs 

1

: the condition of being conscious

2

: the normal state of conscious life in contrast to sleep or an insensible state

3

: the part of mental life that involves conscious thought and awareness

Medical Definition

consciousness

noun

con·​scious·​ness ˈkän-chə-snəs 

1

: the totality in psychology of sensations, perceptions, ideas, attitudes, and feelings of which an individual or a group is aware at any given time or within a given time span

altered states of consciousness, such as sleep, dreaming and hypnosis

—Bob Gaines

2

: waking life (as that to which one returns after sleep, trance, or fever) in which one's normal mental powers are present

the ether wore off and the patient regained consciousness

3

: the upper part of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes