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

Recent Examples on the Web Moving to mostly virtual events during the pandemic years helped to make Climate Week even more irrelevant, even as global awareness of the climate crisis grew more acute and climate disasters more severe and frequent, thus more difficult to ignore. Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023 These gestures may also be legible to us, albeit beneath our conscious awareness. Sonia Shah, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023 This is despite growing awareness of the catastrophic effects of biodiversity loss, Capgemini said in a report, based on a survey of executives of large organizations from major economies. Joshua Kirby, WSJ, 19 Sep. 2023 This week, the field hockey team and the other varsity programs at East Bridgewater are encouraging their fans to wear green in support of Active Minds East Bridgewater, an organization that raises awareness for mental health. Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023 The firm has started circulating digital ads targeted at Spanish-speaking populations in Harford County and Los Angeles in an effort to boost awareness of the homicide among Hispanic communities, with the hope of ultimately garnering information that could aid in identifying the suspect. Maria Morales, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2023 Mates in Mind run workshops and training on construction sites that help improve understanding and awareness of mental health. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023 One thing the scientists, politicians and environmental advocates who work closely with the lake say unequivocally shifted is the public’s awareness of the Great Salt Lake’s dire situation and the heavy consequences that will come if Utah can’t reverse its decline. Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Sep. 2023 What’s more, brain waves show signs of activity suggesting awareness sometimes up to an hour as they are being brought back to life. Theresa Tamkins, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'awareness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of awareness was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near awareness

Cite this Entry

“Awareness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awareness. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

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