plural consciousnesses
1
: the condition of being conscious : the normal state of being awake and able to understand what is happening around you
She experienced a brief loss of consciousness. = She lost consciousness [=became unconscious] briefly.
He slowly regained consciousness [=became conscious again; woke up] after the surgery.
2
a
: a person's mind and thoughts
—usually singular
The realization first entered my consciousness when I was a young child.
The memory was forever etched in her consciousness.
The medication caused her to enter an altered state of consciousness.
b
: knowledge that is shared by a group of people
The events have become part of the national consciousness.
a crisis that has faded from the public consciousness [=that the public no longer remembers or thinks about]
3
: awareness or knowledge of something specified
—usually singular
a magazine that aims to raise the political consciousness of teenagers [=to make teenagers more aware of political issues]
I was impressed by his consciousness of our situation.
She developed a strong social consciousness. [=she became aware of important social issues]
He hopes that he can raise public consciousness of the disease.
Cite this Entry
“Consciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/consciousness. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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