unconscious

1 of 2

adjective

un·​con·​scious ˌən-ˈkän(t)-shəs How to pronounce unconscious (audio)
1
a
: having lost consciousness
was unconscious for three days
b(1)
: not marked by conscious thought, sensation, or feeling
unconscious motivation
(2)
: of or relating to the unconscious
c
: not possessing mind or consciousness
unconscious matter
2
a
: not knowing or perceiving : not aware
b
: free from self-awareness
3
: not consciously held or deliberately planned or carried out
an unconscious bias
unconsciously adverb
unconsciousness noun

unconscious

2 of 2

noun

: the part of mental life that does not ordinarily enter the individual's awareness yet may influence behavior and perception or be revealed (as in slips of the tongue or in dreams)

Example Sentences

Adjective He was knocked unconscious by a fall. She was unconscious for three days after the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Read full article Firefighters rescued a woman on the second floor, who was unconscious and had difficulty breathing, Foye said. Claire Law, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Feb. 2023 Priscilla Cervantes was unconscious for nearly three weeks following the crash. Dallas News, 23 Feb. 2023 Rogers lay unconscious, faceup on the lawn, bleeding from a wound behind his left ear. Chris Pomorski, The New Republic, 23 June 2022 Emergency services responded to a call that a person was unconscious and not breathing at the Lawndale Avenue address, said Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford. Emily Hoerner, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2023 But the video shows that Mitchell was unconscious as he was carried out of the jail, and his limp body was placed on the floor for several seconds before he was moved inside the car. Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2023 But the video shows that Mitchell was unconscious as he was carried out of the jail, and his limp body was placed on the floor for several seconds before he was moved inside the car. Maham Javaid, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Feb. 2023 The boy on the left was five years old and was unconscious, his tiny head appearing above the sheet that covered him, his body dwarfed by the hospital bed. Jane Ferguson, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2023 The man suffered significant injuries and was unconscious when police arrived. Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant, 1 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unconscious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Noun

circa 1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unconscious was in 1712

Dictionary Entries Near unconscious

Cite this Entry

“Unconscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unconscious. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

unconscious

1 of 2 adjective
un·​con·​scious ˌən-ˈkän-chəs How to pronounce unconscious (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not aware
unconscious of having made a mistake
2
: having lost consciousness
knocked unconscious by a fall
3
: not realized : not consciously done
an unconscious mistake
unconscious humor
unconsciously adverb
unconsciousness noun

unconscious

2 of 2 noun
: the part of one's mental life of which one is not aware but which may influence behavior

Medical Definition

unconscious

1 of 2 adjective
un·​con·​scious ˌən-ˈkän-chəs How to pronounce unconscious (audio)
1
: not marked by conscious thought, sensation, or feeling
unconscious motivation
2
: of or relating to the unconscious
3
: having lost consciousness
was unconscious for three days
unconsciously adverb
unconsciousness noun

unconscious

2 of 2 noun
: the part of mental life that is not ordinarily integrated or available to consciousness yet may be manifested as a motive force in overt behavior (as in neurosis) and is often revealed (as through dreams, slips of the tongue, or dissociated acts) compare subconscious

More from Merriam-Webster on unconscious

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