consciousness

noun

con·​scious·​ness ˈkän(t)-shəs-nəs 

1

a

: the quality or state of being aware especially of something within oneself

b

: the state or fact of being conscious of an external object, state, or fact

c

: awareness

especially : concern for some social or political cause

The organization aims to raise the political consciousness of teenagers.

2

: the state of being characterized by sensation, emotion, volition, and thought : mind

3

: the totality of conscious states of an individual

4

: the normal state of conscious life

regained consciousness

5

: the upper level of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes

Synonyms of consciousness

• awareness
• attention
• mindfulness

Examples of consciousness in a Sentence

The medication caused her to enter an altered state of consciousness.

The events have become part of the national consciousness.

He hopes that he can raise public consciousness of the disease.

Recent Examples on the Web

But its primary association in the public consciousness since the nineteen-eighties is with the criminal underworld, particularly the drug cartels. —Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026

Despite the complex, stream-of-consciousness lyrics, hundreds of mouths could be seen contorting word-for-word with Springsteen’s, giving the show an intimate, local bar atmosphere. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026

In the Homeric Game 6 that catapulted the B’s back into consciousness of Boston sports landscape, Kessel scored a pair to force a Game 7. —Stephen Conroy, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026

Altman, currently sitting on a roughly $3 billion fortune, didn’t emerge in the public consciousness until the late 2022 release of ChatGPT. —Michael Liedtke, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see conscious entry 1

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing consciousness

• consciousness-raising
• hyper-consciousness
• lose consciousness
• regain consciousness
• social consciousness
• stream of consciousness
• unself-consciousness

Rhymes for consciousness

• unconsciousness

Kids Definition

consciousness

noun

con·​scious·​ness ˈkän-chəs-nəs 

1

: the condition of being conscious

2

: the normal state of conscious life in contrast to sleep or an insensible state

3

: the part of mental life that involves conscious thought and awareness

Medical Definition

consciousness

noun

con·​scious·​ness ˈkän-chə-snəs 

1

: the totality in psychology of sensations, perceptions, ideas, attitudes, and feelings of which an individual or a group is aware at any given time or within a given time span

altered states of consciousness, such as sleep, dreaming and hypnosis

—Bob Gaines

2

: waking life (as that to which one returns after sleep, trance, or fever) in which one's normal mental powers are present

the ether wore off and the patient regained consciousness

3

: the upper part of mental life of which the person is aware as contrasted with unconscious processes