If you are consciousof something, you notice it or realize that it is happening.
He was conscious of the faint, musky aroma of aftershave.
She was very conscious of Max studying her.
Conscious that he was becoming light-headed again, he went over to the window.
Synonyms: aware of, wise to [slang], alert to, responsive to More Synonyms of conscious
2. adjective [v-link ADJ that]
If you are consciousof something, you think about it a lot, especially because you are unhappy about it or because you think it is important.
I'm very conscious of my weight. [+ of]
He is acutely conscious that this transition will bring with it the risk of socialunrest.
3. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A conscious decision or action is made or done deliberately with you giving your full attention to it.
I don't think we ever made a conscious decision to have a big family.
Make a conscious effort to relax your muscles.
Synonyms: deliberate, knowing, reasoning, studied More Synonyms of conscious
consciouslyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
Sophie was not consciously seeking a replacement after her father died.
4. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
Someone who is conscious is awake rather than asleep or unconscious.
She was fully conscious all the time and knew what was going on.
Synonyms: awake, wide-awake, sentient, alive More Synonyms of conscious
5. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Conscious memories or thoughts are ones that you are aware of.
He had no conscious memory of his four-week stay in hospital.
Beneath the conscious mind there are many levels of the unconscious.
consciouslyadverb [ADVERB with verb, ADVERB adjective]
Most people cannot consciously remember much before the ages of 5 to 7 years.
Sometimes we are not consciously aware of these feelings.
-conscious
(kɒnʃəs)
combining form
-conscious combines with words such as 'health', 'fashion', 'politically', and 'environmentally' to form adjectives which describe someone who believes that the aspect of life indicated is important.
We're all becoming increasingly health-conscious these days.
conscious in British English
(ˈkɒnʃəs)
adjective
1.
a.
alert and awake; not sleeping or comatose
b.
aware of one's surroundings, one's own thoughts and motivations, etc
2.
a.
aware of and giving value or emphasis to a particular fact or phenomenon
I am conscious of your great kindness to me
b.
(in combination)
clothes-conscious
3.
done with full awareness; deliberate
a conscious effort
conscious rudeness
4.
a.
denoting or relating to a part of the human mind that is aware of a person's self, environment, and mental activity and that to a certain extent determines his or her choices of action
b.
(as noun)
the conscious is only a small part of the mind
Compare unconscious
Derived forms
consciously (ˈconsciously)
adverb
consciousness (ˈconsciousness)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Latin conscius sharing knowledge, from com- with + scīre to know
conscious in American English
(ˈkɑnʃəs)
adjective
1.
having a feeling or knowledge (of one's own sensations, feelings, etc. or of external things); knowing or feeling (that something is or was happening or existing); aware; cognizant
2.
able to feel and think; in the normal waking state
3.
aware of oneself as a thinking being; knowing what one is doing and why
4.
self-conscious
5.
accompanied by an awareness of what one is thinking, feeling, and doing; intentional
conscious humor
6.
known to or felt by oneself
conscious guilt
SIMILAR WORDS: aˈware
Idioms:
the conscious
Derived forms
consciously (ˈconsciously)
adverb
Word origin
L conscius, knowing, aware < conscire: see conscience
-conscious in American English
(ˈkɑnʃəs)
aware of and attaching importance to
status-conscious
Examples of 'conscious' in a sentence
conscious
We were aware that if it was a fully conscious being that it would be hearing all these conversations.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Has that been a conscious effort?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Without a conscious effort, they will end up in very different places.
The Sun (2016)
He's incredibly conscious how things will come across, of how they might seem.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Maybe it's a memory producing itself outside your conscious mind or maybe it's real.
The Sun (2016)
We are always very conscious of weight.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You know there is traffic about but you are not fully conscious of it.
Austin, Valerie Self-Hypnosis (1994)
The unconscious is simply asking the conscious mind to make a plan.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They have to be conscious of the risk.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
You will be conscious of new glories in the world around you.
Lumsden, Robert 23 Steps to Successful Achievement (1972)
Politicians are acutely conscious that failure with public money is not permitted.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You have to make a conscious effort to make time for people.
The Sun (2013)
The inner awareness is what is supposed to make the outer awareness conscious.
The Times Literary Supplement (2011)
Was that something you were conscious of?
The Sun (2006)
She weighed hardly ten kilograms but she was fully conscious.
The Sun (2014)
Or the mind becoming too conscious of what the body is doing.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The design process will always be conscious of the client.
Abercrombie, Stanley A Philosophy of Interior Design (1990)
Certainly they were acutely conscious of family relationships and responsibilities.
Garraty, John Arthur The American Nation: A History of the United States to 1877 (1995)
We must make a conscious effort to slow down and listen intentionally.
Christianity Today (2000)
Below our conscious awareness the brain is alerted to the presence of a threat of enormous proportions.
Pearson, Althea Growing Through Loss and Grief (1994)
My subconscious must be aware of something my conscious mind is not.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Choose just one of these activities to be fully conscious of each day.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Much of this slips quite easily from my conscious mind.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
No other industry is so conscious of the risk of staff fraud and the need to vet employees.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
One is conscious of a lot of energy from the performers, to no particular purpose.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She's very socially conscious and environmentally aware.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Men who do the same are not usually considered weight or health conscious, but faintly ridiculous.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Could she master the "hysteria" of a mind too aware, too conscious of the conditions of its existence?
Higonnet, Anne Berthe Morisot (1990)
I'm definitely a lot more conscious of my surroundings and my fellow passengers now.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Family friends say that he is not especially security conscious; Greek media reported that he had been without his usual motorcycle bodyguard.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
conscious
British English: conscious /ˈkɒnʃəs/ ADJECTIVE
If you are conscious of something, you notice it or are aware of it.
He was conscious of the faint smell of aftershave.
American English: conscious
Arabic: واع
Brazilian Portuguese: consciente
Chinese: 有意识的
Croatian: svjestan
Czech: vědomý si
Danish: bevidst
Dutch: bewust
European Spanish: consciente despierto
Finnish: tajuissaan
French: conscient
German: bewusst
Greek: συνειδητός
Italian: consapevole
Japanese: 意識がある
Korean: 의식하고 있는
Norwegian: bevisst
Polish: świadomy przytomny
European Portuguese: consciente
Romanian: conștient
Russian: ощущающий
Latin American Spanish: consciente
Swedish: medveten
Thai: รู้สึกตัว
Turkish: bilinçli
Ukrainian: свідомий
Vietnamese: tỉnh táo
All related terms of 'conscious'
the conscious
that part of one's mental activity of which one is fully aware at any given time
class-conscious
Someone who is class-conscious is very aware of the differences between the various classes of people in society , and often has a strong feeling of belonging to a particular class.
cost-conscious
having an awareness of costs; careful about spending
half-conscious
only partially alert and awake
image-conscious
concerned about the way one comes across to other people and the impression one creates
self-conscious
Someone who is self-conscious is easily embarrassed and nervous because they feel that everyone is looking at them and judging them.
calorie-conscious
aware of the calorie content of one's diet
fashion-conscious
interested in, and wanting to wear, fashionable clothes
figure-conscious
concerned to keep an attractively slim body shape
health-conscious
having an active interest in one's health
safety-conscious
conscious of being safe and preventing danger
Chinese translation of 'conscious'
conscious
(ˈkɔnʃəs)
adj
(= awake) 清醒的 (qīngxǐng de)
(= deliberate)[decision, effort]蓄意的 (xùyì de)
to be conscious of sth意识(識)到某事 (yìshí dào mǒushì)
to be conscious that ... 意识(識)到 ... (yìshí dào ... )
to be politically conscious/health-conscious有政治/健康意识(識) (yǒu zhèngzhì/jiànkāng yìshí)
to become conscious of/that意识(識)到 (yìshí dào)
All related terms of 'conscious'
self-conscious
容易难(難)为(為)情的 róngyì nánwéiqíng de
to be conscious of sth
意识(識)到某事 yìshí dào mǒushì
to be conscious that ...
意识(識)到 ... yìshí dào ...
to become conscious of/that
意识(識)到 yìshí dào
to be politically conscious/health-conscious
有政治/健康意识(識) yǒu zhèngzhì/jiànkāng yìshí
to be self-conscious about sth
极(極)为(為)在意某事 jíwéi zàiyì mǒushì
1 (adjective)
Definition
aware (of something)
She was conscious of Jen watching her every move.
Synonyms
aware of
They are well aware of the dangers.
wise to (slang)
Consumers are becoming wise to the tricks of the marketing trade.
alert to
responsive to
cognizant of
sensible of
clued-up on (informal)
percipient of
Opposites
unconscious
,
unaware
,
ignorant
,
oblivious
2 (adjective)
Definition
deliberate or intentional
Make a conscious effort to relax your muscles.
Synonyms
deliberate
The attack was deliberate and unprovoked.
knowing
reasoning
studied
a studied understatement
responsible
calculated
a calculated strategy for winning power
rational
reflective
self-conscious
intentional
I can't blame him. It wasn't intentional.
wilful
Wilful neglect of the environment has caused this problem.
premeditated
a case of premeditated murder
Opposites
unconscious
,
accidental
,
unintentional
,
unwitting
,
unintended
,
unplanned
,
unpremeditated
,
uncalculated
3 (adjective)
Definition
aware of one's surroundings and of oneself
She was fully conscious throughout the operation.
Synonyms
awake
I don't stay awake at night worrying about that.
wide-awake
sentient
sentient creatures, human and nonhuman alike
alive
I never expected to feel so alive in my life again.
Opposites
asleep
,
unconscious
,
oblivious
,
insensible
Additional synonyms
in the sense of alive
Definition
lively
I never expected to feel so alive in my life again.