Definition of conscientious
1 : governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience : scrupulous a conscientious public servant
2 : meticulous, careful a conscientious listener
conscientiously
adverbconscientiousness
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
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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 of conscientious from the Web
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Conscientious and fast, but the servers are made to wear uniforms that promote the French-fashion stereotype of the long-sleeve, horizontally striped pullover shirt and beret (though the headgear at PB is more cap than beret).
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Paelyn Benz is a conscientious student who takes pride in her work.
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While Jennifer works overtime to be the conscientious caregiver, Bob falls back on old-fart grumpiness.
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In some wine regions, conflicts have caused conscientious producers to leave appellations.
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Since early in its history, Bosch has cultivated a reputation as one of Germany’s most conscientious companies.
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Just as states can and should push back against federal overreach, careful and conscientious enforcement of federal law is necessary to protect Americans when their state governments betray its letter and spirit.
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In 1967, Ali’s request to be granted conscientious objector status was rejected.
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Now that I’m back in a routine, I’ll be more conscientious about things like tags.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conscientious'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 like what they see. "Conscience" and "conscientious" both come from the Latin verb conscire, a word that means "to be conscious" or "to be conscious of guilt" and that traces back to a still older Latin word, scire, meaning "to know."
Origin and Etymology of conscientious
see conscience
First Known Use: 1603
Synonym Discussion of conscientious
CONSCIENTIOUS Defined for English Language Learners
conscientious
playDefinition of conscientious for English Language Learners
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: very careful about doing what you are supposed to do : concerned with doing something correctly
CONSCIENTIOUS Defined for Kids
conscientious
playDefinition of conscientious for Students
1 : guided by or agreeing with a sense of doing what is right No conscientious person would stand for such unfair actions.
2 : using or done with care conscientious teachers conscientious efforts
Learn More about conscientious
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for conscientious Spanish Central: Translation of conscientious Nglish: Translation of conscientious for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of conscientious for Arabic speakers
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