subconscious

1 of 2

adjective

sub·​con·​scious ˌsəb-ˈkän(t)-shəs 

ˈsəb-

: existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness

a subconscious motive

subconsciousness noun

subconscious

2 of 2

noun

: the mental activities just below the threshold of consciousness

Examples of subconscious in a Sentence

Noun

A person's behavior can be influenced by urges that exist only in the subconscious.

Those feelings had been hidden in her subconscious.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Nolan has embraced an elaborately mathematical approach to storytelling and somehow applied it successfully to the subjects of subconscious corporate espionage, space exploration, and World War II. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 July 2026

A lot of the emotions Cancer carries are often subconscious and ancestral, which is why this lunation can also be tied to the past. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

Noun

Almine Rech notes in its announcement Carrington’s fascination with mythology (particularly Celtic), the occult, and, like her Surrealist peers, the dreamlike subconscious. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 13 June 2026

Pay attention to dreams, synchronicities and those weird gut feelings that arrive out of nowhere — your subconscious is trying to tell you something. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1834, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1878, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for subconscious

• conscious
• preconscious
• unconscious

Kids Definition

subconscious

1 of 2 adjective

sub·​con·​scious ˌsəb-ˈkän-chəs 

ˈsəb-

: existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness

a subconscious motive

subconsciously adverb

subconscious

2 of 2 noun

: the mental activities just below the limit of consciousness

Medical Definition

subconscious

1 of 2 adjective

sub·​con·​scious ˌsəb-ˈkän-chəs, ˈsəb- 

1

: existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness : affecting thought, feeling, and behavior without entering awareness

subconscious motives

a subconscious reflex

2

: imperfectly conscious : partially but not fully aware

the persistence of subconscious dream activity for several minutes after waking

—Psychological Abstracts

subconsciously adverb

subconsciousness noun

subconscious

2 of 2 noun

: the mental activities just below the threshold of consciousness

also : the aspect of the mind concerned with such activities compare unconscious