awareness

noun

aware·​ness ə-ˈwer-nəs 

: 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

Synonyms of awareness

• attention
• mindfulness
• consciousness
• knowledge

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

Based on his experience covering fugitive cases, Winfrey said crimes involving that level of awareness are often not random. —Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026

Although many Yaogan missions are officially described as civilian remote-sensing projects, recent launches have significantly expanded the network’s capabilities in mapping, maritime domain awareness, and change detection. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026

The program has focused on turning waste into artwork while raising awareness about how much plastic the community throws away. —Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026

Changing that comes back to awareness. —Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing awareness

• hyper-awareness
• self-awareness

Rhymes for awareness

• unawareness
• bareness
• fairness
• squareness
• unfairness