conscientiousness
noun
con·sci·en·tious·ness
ˌkän(t)-shē-ˈen(t)-shəs-nəs 
plural conscientiousnesses
: the condition or quality of being conscientious
Apparently, the secret to a happy, healthy adulthood is learning early on to deal with disappointment and developing character traits—persistence, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control—to surmount it.—
Deanna Pan
Deanna PanNot surprisingly, they have found that people blessed with innate conscientiousness, meaning that they are organized and predictable, typically eat better and live longer than people who are disorderly.—Gretchen Reynolds
Gretchen Reynolds
Synonyms
Examples of conscientiousness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The research delves into how our faces can be a roadmap to understanding traits like extroversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.
—Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
There’s a real conscientiousness on my part to try to meet people halfway — because most people don’t know what an audio drama is.
—Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2023
Mark Zuckerberg’s intelligence, energy, and conscientiousness are tremendous.
—Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2022
And hearing the interview did not affect the views of participants about the job candidate’s conscientiousness.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 6 Sep. 2023
This means, 143 is most similar in meaning to the numerological understanding of 4, a number which symbolizes stability and conscientiousness.
—Kate Franke, Woman's Day, 21 Aug. 2023
The other four categories are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion and neuroticism.
—USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2023
The research, published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE, found declines in extroversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness among adults, with the most dramatic shifts displayed in people under 30.
—Jacquelyne Germain, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Sep. 2022
Self-control falls under conscientiousness and is usually associated with someone who is also an orderly person and a hard worker.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022
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Kurt Knutsson, Fox News, 20 Oct. 2023
There’s a real conscientiousness on my part to try to meet people halfway — because most people don’t know what an audio drama is.
—Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 3 Oct. 2023
Mark Zuckerberg’s intelligence, energy, and conscientiousness are tremendous.
—Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2022
And hearing the interview did not affect the views of participants about the job candidate’s conscientiousness.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 6 Sep. 2023
This means, 143 is most similar in meaning to the numerological understanding of 4, a number which symbolizes stability and conscientiousness.
—Kate Franke, Woman's Day, 21 Aug. 2023
The other four categories are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion and neuroticism.
—USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2023
The research, published Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE, found declines in extroversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness among adults, with the most dramatic shifts displayed in people under 30.
—Jacquelyne Germain, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Sep. 2022
Self-control falls under conscientiousness and is usually associated with someone who is also an orderly person and a hard worker.
—Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conscientiousness.' 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
circa 1631, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of conscientiousness was
circa 1631
Dictionary Entries Near conscientiousness
Cite this Entry
“Conscientiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscientiousness. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on conscientiousness
Britannica English: Translation of conscientiousness for Arabic Speakers
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