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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective conscientious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of conscientious are honest, honorable, just, scrupulous, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will

When can honest be used instead of conscientious?

Although the words honest and conscientious have much in common, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

known for being honest in business dealings

When could honorable be used to replace conscientious?

The synonyms honorable and conscientious are sometimes interchangeable, but honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

a difficult but honorable decision

Where would just be a reasonable alternative to conscientious?

The words just and conscientious can be used in similar contexts, but just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

workers given just compensation

When is upright a more appropriate choice than conscientious?

In some situations, the words upright and conscientious are roughly equivalent. However, upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

a stern and upright minister

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 conscientious On the other hand lies the more difficult but ultimately more promising path: repudiation of that post-2008 legacy and a conscientious return to a politics of the prudential center. Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025 The conscientious ones showed their value through results. Jodie Cook, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 In Texas, parents must get an affidavit notarized to have a valid conscientious exemption for their child. Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2025 And no, the relative infrequency of such events compared to the 1940s hardly justifies the silence; what do people think has kept such perennial evil at bay all these years if not conscientious outspokenness? Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conscientious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conscientious
Adjective
  • Court documents show Blankenship has been employed by the city since 2006 following his honorable discharge from the Coast Guard.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • White Painted Woman was a model of heroism and honorable womanhood: When evil monsters were hunting the Apache people, the White Painted Woman gave birth to a son who would destroy the creatures to help make Earth inhabitable for humanity.
    Alejandra Rubio, NPR, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Wild first 20 minutes Most of this series has seen each team playing a very careful brand of hockey, feeling each other out in the first period, with few shots on goal and even fewer legitimate scoring opportunities.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • That makes careful construction of games to maximize engagement vital, said Nate Jones, vice president of corporate strategy and development for Sony Interactive Entertainment, the PlayStation unit of Sony.
    David Bloom, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • Despite all of that, as the legislature enters the final weeks of its spring session, strengthening the state’s ethical safeguards doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the top of the agenda in Springfield.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
  • His relationship evolved from setting firm boundaries to setting ethical guardrails, offering context, and supporting his autonomy with curiosity and love.
    Rebekah Bastian, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Transforming an interview dilemma into an eight-figure brand, Jenny Lei is building Freja New York with meticulous intention while redefining what luxury means in the vegan accessories space.
    Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
  • Her meticulous research and historical erudition are legendary, and her belief in the magic of fashion is unwavering.
    Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Eighty years since the end of World War II, Amsterdam’s mayor apologized for the city’s role in the persecution of its Jewish residents during the Holocaust, in a rare acknowledgment of a collective moral failure by a city leader.
    Anupreeta Das, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • Trump himself has suggested moral equivalence between the two sides, claiming Ukraine was at fault for provoking the war, that President Zelensky was illegitimate and that the U.S. should recognize Russia’s annexations of Ukrainian territory.
    Eric Green, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These institutions make our lives sweet, loving and creative, rather than nasty, brutish and short.
    David Brooks, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2025
  • These passages also reinforced his vision of a more inclusive and loving church, one that follows the example set by Jesus in the Gospels.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And, to be honest, her description of the breakup at that time sounded a lot more amicable than it’s been sounding lately.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 24 Apr. 2025
  • But only if leaders have the appetite for that kind of honest data.
    Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This means investors need to conduct diligent research into both financial and ethical factors.
    Sahit Muja, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Kai seems like a sweet kid — a diligent server, a talented performer, loyal to Paula despite being tempted by her best friend, Olivia (played by Sydney Sweeney).
    Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conscientious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscientious. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

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