conscientious

adjective

con·​sci·​en·​tious ˌkän(t)-shē-ˈen(t)-shəs 

1

: meticulous, careful

a conscientious listener

2

: governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience : scrupulous

a conscientious public servant

conscientiously adverb

Did you know?

According to American writer and editor H. L. Mencken, "Conscience is the inner voice which warns us someone may be looking." A person who is conscientious makes sure that if others are watching, they approve of what they see. This is true for someone who is “governed by their conscience” as the oldest sense of the word is defined—as in “a conscientious objector to the war”—but it is also true for the conscientious person paying close, careful attention to the task at hand. Conscientious came to English from French, centuries after Middle English had adopted conscience from Old French; both ultimately come from Latin scire, “to know.”

Synonyms

• honorable
• ethical
• moral
• honest

Choose the Right Synonym for conscientious

upright, honest, just, conscientious, scrupulous, honorable mean having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right.

upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments

scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

Examples of conscientious in a Sentence

He was a good friend to his comrades, a conscientious leader mindful of his men's needs; an upright family man with strong, bright, proud children … —Tom Clancy, Without Remorse, 1994

Because Puckett was a conscientious lieutenant … his men did not have to stint on their fire. He had made sure that every man was carrying a basic load of ammunition and then some to spare … —Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988

He was shifty about money matters, not conscientious about returning advances, fulfilling contracts, reading manuscripts. —Monroe K. Spears, American Ambitions, 1987

She has always been a very conscientious worker.

He was conscientious about following the doctor's orders.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bindi’s only six years older, but is very conscientious and a real caregiver. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025

There are unanswered overtures from the choir’s pianist Horner (Robert Emms), a soft, vulnerable young man whose conscientious-objector status renders him a fellow outsider. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Oct. 2025

More than 70 percent of the participants were identified as being open-minded, conscientious, and emotionally stable. —Alyssa Ages, Outside, 30 Sep. 2025

More than 30 years ago, Greider, a conscientious journalist with a keen eye for detail, exposed how the American political system had been bent toward wealthy interests who could afford to hire lobbyists. —Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see conscience

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing conscientious

• conscientious objection
• conscientious objector

Rhymes for conscientious

• contentious
• pretentious
• sententious
• tendentious
• unpretentious

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Kids Definition

conscientious

adjective

con·​sci·​en·​tious ˌkän-chē-ˈen-chəs 

1

: guided by or agreeing with one's conscience : scrupulous

2

: using or done with careful attention

conscientiously adverb

conscientiousness noun