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 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 conscious To the conscious world, the former increasingly feels like the largest inconvenience of these examples, leaving many to question and critique its relevance—the first step in disrupting this dynamic. Akilah Sailers, Essence, 19 Dec. 2024 Soft Goat Cashmere Soft Goat delivers on both conscious and affordable investment pieces with a plush feel. Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 6 Dec. 2024 Anonymous Content is still seeking international expansion but is conscious of the state of the economy. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 3 Dec. 2024 She executive produces through her Simpson Street banner, which is devoted to bringing socially conscious, inclusive stories of marginalized voices and communities to all audiences through film and TV. Kerry Washington, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conscious 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conscious
Adjective
  • Professional Service Providers – Professionals including lawyers, accountants, insurance and benefits brokers, investor relations firms and financial printers may be aware of their client companies’ open CFO positions.
    Steven Wasserman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
  • But slang can also be used to demean, bully, or belittle others, so parents should be aware of trendy lingo their kids are using in their day-to-day life.
    Kara Nesvig, Parents, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • And then there’s the human factor; Cal Fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, estimates more than 90% of wildfires are caused by humans, whether through carelessness, deliberate ignitions or infrastructure failures.
    Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Baskin also set the final song to the same tune of the first — a deliberate callback.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Evacuation warnings -- voluntary notices to leave -- begin to be issued in the Palisades Fire.
    Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Catch up quick: The EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation, introduced in 2022, includes several voluntary commitments that tech firms and private companies, including fact-checking organizations, are expected to deliver on.
    Sara Fischer, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But with a few intentional whites and creams, our editors also prove that calming neutrals will never go out of style.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Jan. 2025
  • This is why cultivating and strengthening intentional friendships is essential, and Meghan Watson, psychotherapist, agrees.
    Dominique Fluker, Essence, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Trump’s new filing was signed by D. John Sauer, his intended nominee to become U.S. solicitor general, who represents the administration before the Supreme Court.
    Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Well, Kendrick Bourne stopped his crossing route right in front of intended target Hunter Henry on Maye’s first sack, which forced Maye to hold the ball and killed a promising opening drive.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Even more than his strong, octave-surfing Ontario accent, his willed congeniality—a mix of natural reserve and a morbid aversion to pretense—spoke to something in my bones.
    Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
  • Read: The changing sound of male rage in rock music Underscoring his willed isolation is the fact that Fight Club intentionally seems to take place nowhere.
    Stephen Kearse, The Atlantic, 15 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near conscious

Cite this Entry

“Conscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscious. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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