1
2

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 This will be a huge advantage to my clients that can’t find enough hourly warehouse workers, or workers that are conscientious enough to track quantities in this manner. Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025 But being a conscientious small-business owner means figuring out how to integrate into a place while acknowledging its past. Latria Graham, AFAR Media, 25 Apr. 2025 Hybrid tea roses are the classic case as continual new waves of flowers depend on conscientious removal of spent blooms. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 May 2025 And a committed Marxist's cold-blooded murder of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C. Wednesday night was the natural and inevitable consequence of a conscientious, years-long campaign to dehumanize Jews and otherize all supporters of the world's only Jewish state. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for conscientious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conscientious
Adjective
  • But the film’s pulse-pounding excitement is merely a feint to suggest how the rush for vengeance — no matter how justified — only brings about more killing, dragging down honorable intentions and leaving blood on everyone’s hands.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
  • Milk was forced to resign from the Navy and receive an other than honorable discharge.
    Al Weaver, The Hill, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • However, be careful of blurring the distinction between professional and personal relationships.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 19 June 2025
  • For most, wealth results from years of hard work, careful planning, and disciplined saving.
    Georgette Virgo, USA Today, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • Such governance will likely include public data trusts, ethical review boards, and inclusive policy-making processes—all of which emphasize collective rather than individualistic solutions.
    Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
  • Invest in educator training that moves beyond basic tool familiarity to pedagogical integration and ethical considerations.
    Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Later, as the way opened, Swedish producers and artists, from Denniz Pop to Max Martin, would follow, bringing glossy, meticulous pop to the global marketplace.
    Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 18 June 2025
  • Once home to Louis XV’s architect, the property underwent a meticulous four-year renovation before reopening to what is now one of the most luxurious properties in the city.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • There’s a moral sleight of hand in this business — a way of justifying detachment as professionalism.
    Rob Shuter, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
  • In these fields, reliability is a moral and operational imperative.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • All cats regardless of age deserve a safe and loving home.
    Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • Additionally, researchers discovered that even when children are placed in safe and loving settings, like with responsive adoptive parents, some of them naturally shunned connection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • My advice is to conduct an honest assessment of your team's capabilities relative to migration requirements.
    AJ Bubb, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Ananda Lewis’ voice cut through silence like light through mist—bold, unwavering, and luminously honest.
    Essence, Essence, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Clark said locally, at San Dimas’ Via Verde Country Club and Pomona’s Mountain Meadows Golf Course, Spaun is remembered as a diligent kid who put in a lot of time working on his game.
    Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 16 June 2025
  • The only way to avoid False Dividend Stocks is with diligent fundamental research on cash flows.
    David Trainer, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Conscientious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscientious. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on conscientious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!