conscience

noun

Definition of consciencenext
as in mind
one's internal sense of right and wrong Her conscience told her to find the lost wallet's owner.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conscience That the current surge in antisemitism is so prevalent in the United States should weigh heavily on our national conscience. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026 No matter how one views the death penalty, the grisly details of this tragic incident should — to use a phrase coined by Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter — shock the conscience. — Dr. Jacob Appel, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Frances Haugen is the conscience and the true hero of The Social Reckoning, and Sorkin knows it. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 There’s his drop-dead gorgeous spouse, a huge welcoming home, darling children, and a pillar-of-the-community job that gives him a clean conscience. — Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conscience
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conscience
  1. mind
  2. morality
  3. values
  4. scruples
  5. standards
  6. heart
  7. character
Noun
  • Most of these programs did not have physical forms in their original MCU incarnations, but appear in human form within the world inside Vision’s mind.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Normalcy bias means that despite all evidence to the contrary, our mind protects itself.
    — Raj Panjabi, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of mind
Noun
  • Law & Courts A failed execution in Tennessee and plans to livestream a firing squad are recharging America’s death penalty debate, raising questions about morality and justice.
    — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The novel explores free will, fate, and morality, and was famously adapted into a classic film by Stanley Kubrick in 1971.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of morality
Noun
  • Those values might include being honest, assertive, or standing up for themselves.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Pepper suggests 5-minute conversations with specific agendas and a focus on values and expectations.
    — Katie Hurley, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of values
Noun
  • Spreadsheets existed in 2006, but here they are kept, like everyone’s shame and scruples, firmly out of sight.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Hilton rejects the argument floated by some of his former colleagues that his scruples became a casualty of his ambition.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of scruples
Noun
  • Fire Chief Darin Snedeker said a third station is operating below national staffing standards, affecting the district's ability to respond quickly to emergencies.
    — Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • From men wearing pink to push back against the pressures of toxic masculinity to women pushing back against unrealistic body standards, pink has become a color of defiant empathy.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • The story follows a celebrated pediatric heart surgeon whose daughter falls prey to a vengeful ghost.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The nine suites sell out far in advance, especially if there's a popular event in the city, so book well ahead if your heart is set on staying here.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of heart
Noun
  • Earlier versions looked unnaturally green, while the team also considered how the character’s skin would react to different lighting.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Coleman said each design has its own distinct character and can be styled individually, either as a subtle everyday detail or a sculptural statement.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of character

Browse Nearby Words

consanguineous
conscience
conscientious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conscience.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscience. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conscience

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conscience

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