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

The arc Dijon’s talking about is thematic, one that was already unspooling from his subconscious. —Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025

Early in the month, Mars and Saturn stir something deep in your subconscious, pushing you to confront the fears or old stories that have quietly shaped the dynamic of your love life. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025

Noun

Neptune stations direct in Pisces on December 10th in your spirituality and closure sector, and honestly, the fog in your subconscious is finally starting to lift after five months of retrograde confusion. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 7 Dec. 2025

These funny, terrifying stories (and the funny, terrifying illustrations, by Maurice Sendak, that accompany them in this edition) are a direct route to the collective subconscious. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025

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