Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective conscious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of conscious are alive, awake, aware, cognizant, and sensible. While all these words mean "having knowledge of something," conscious implies that one is focusing one's attention on something or is even preoccupied by it.

conscious that my heart was pounding

How are the words alive and sensible related as synonyms of conscious?

Alive adds to sensible the implication of acute sensitivity to something.

alive to the thrill of danger

In what contexts can awake take the place of conscious?

While in some cases nearly identical to conscious, awake implies that one has become alive to something and is on the alert.

a country always awake to the threat of invasion

When might aware be a better fit than conscious?

In some situations, the words aware and conscious are roughly equivalent. However, aware implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.

aware of changes in climate

When can cognizant be used instead of conscious?

The synonyms cognizant and conscious are sometimes interchangeable, but cognizant implies having special or certain knowledge as from firsthand sources.

not fully cognizant of the facts

When is sensible a more appropriate choice than conscious?

The words sensible and conscious are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensible implies direct or intuitive perceiving especially of intangibles or of emotional states or qualities.

sensible of a teacher's influence

Examples of conscious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But these techniques don’t work very well for two reasons: (1) the conscious mind is rigid, skeptical, and resistant to change, and (2) the conscious mind makes only 5% of decisions anyway. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 The brand’s sustainability efforts range from its conscious consumption mindset and presenting pieces as heirlooms to be reworn for decades, to incorporating deadstock fabrics and upcycled materials into each collection. Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 19 Sep. 2024 Chaotic families with exhibit a lack of: Consistency Predictability Emotional safety Image conscious and perfectionistic Image conscious family systems maintain an emphasis on achieving high or unreachable standards, says Klass. Sherri Gordon, Parents, 19 Sep. 2024 Most inconvenient of all, only one body can be conscious at any moment, and Elisabeth/Sue must switch vessels at strict seven-day intervals. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conscious 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conscious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near conscious

Cite this Entry

“Conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscious. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

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