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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 Given the atmosphere, the dazzling quality of the food and the conscientious service, this should be a very successful restaurant for a long time. Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Now, in the years since his brother's death, Melvin says he's become increasingly conscientious about his own health. Alex Ross, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025 Younger adults in particular are less conscientious, agreeable, extroverted and open to new experiences than past generations, while neuroticism — marked by anxiety and emotional instability — is rising. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025 Most of the traits that are good, like being conscientious and agreeable are also cool, but in different capacities. Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conscientious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conscientious
Adjective
  • Despite being deceived, Stone, who dated Garfield for four years, conceded that the actor's dedication to the secret was honorable.
    Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 2025
  • This person has brought shame and disgrace to the badge and to an honorable profession.
    Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Rather, the Penguins will be very careful with both of their teenagers.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • And to find or develop a future CEO takes careful planning and grooming, considering today’s massive disruptions like tariff impacts and the expansive growth of AI.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Of course, the idea of having an AI board member opens up a host of thorny ethical issues.
    Lee Clifford, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Notwithstanding this criticism, though, there is still a growing view within Delhi that foreign policy should be pragmatic and driven by interests rather than ethical considerations.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Though his meticulous style might seem tailor-made for prestige dramas centered on the exceedingly affluent, storytelling remains his true focus.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Scientists realized that the Netherlands—the site of a 1944 railroad strike in support of the Allies, followed by a retaliatory Nazi blockade on food—had kept meticulous records of a subsequent famine, the Dutch Hunger Winter.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • From poverty and inequality to political polarization and misinformation, Kristof explores how truth, empathy and moral courage can guide us toward a more just and compassionate society.
    David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Kennedy has managed to bridge three specific tendencies—toward fiscal conservatism, social liberalism, and a belief that improving societal health is a moral imperative—and present them as one overarching ideology.
    Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • No one ever came forward, and a local family adopted the sisters together, naming them Tina and Melissa and giving them a loving home.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
  • But there are things girls can do, too—often with encouragement from their parents, mental health professionals, or other loving adults in their life.
    ​Wendy Wisner, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Her fashion designer husband, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud, was sentenced to five months behind bars, two years of supervised release, 250 hours of community service, and a $250,000 fine.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Be honest and then seek out stretch experiences, reading and other ways to learn to fill those gaps.
    Vicki Salemi, Boston Herald, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In normal times, the agency acts like a loving but diligent parent, dispensing money at regular intervals to insure the kids don’t spend it all at once.
    Andy Kroll, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In recent years, officials have been far more diligent about timekeeping, leading to a rise in the volume of stoppage time played.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conscientious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscientious. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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