self-conscious

adjective

self-con·​scious ˌself-ˈkän(t)-shəs 

1

a

: conscious of one's own acts or states as belonging to or originating in oneself : aware of oneself as an individual

b

: intensely aware of oneself : conscious

a rising and self-conscious social class

also : produced or done with such awareness

self-conscious art

2

: uncomfortably conscious of oneself as an object of the observation of others : ill at ease

self-consciously adverb

self-consciousness noun

Examples of self-conscious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These meta-references might have registered as little more than self-conscious tics, but Robinson’s aggressively eccentric performance gives them a prickly, ultimately disturbing sense of purpose. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 16 May 2025

If you’re rusty on bar etiquette or self-conscious about how to act on a night out, John deBary is here to help. —Hana Asbrink, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 May 2025

Saying that out loud, my dad became uncharacteristically self-conscious. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025

That page was pure Post: New York’s most dastardly, least self-conscious daily newspaper chooses heroes and villains and sticks to its own story, new information be damned. —Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for self-conscious

• conscious
• preconscious
• subconscious
• unconscious

Kids Definition

self-conscious

adjective

self-con·​scious

ˈself-ˈkän-chəs

: uncomfortably conscious of oneself as an object of the observation of others

self-consciously adverb

self-consciousness noun