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

Professors structure lectures with an awareness of how a sentence might circulate online. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

The funds raised from the tour help support Preservation Sacramento’s activities, such as raising awareness of properties and adding sites to the National Register of Historic Places. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Padilla said the shift has come as demand for gargantuan data centers to power AI has grown rapidly over the last year alongside public awareness of data center impacts. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Galloway goes into enormous, at times gratuitous detail mapping Leigh’s many breakdowns, while being empathetic about the lack of useful treatments and awareness that existed at the time. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing awareness

• hyper-awareness
• phonemic awareness
• phonological awareness
• self-awareness

Rhymes for awareness

• unawareness
• bareness
• fairness
• squareness
• unfairness