Consciousness Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

consciousness ; 1 · the condition of being conscious : the normal state of being awake and able to understand what is happening around you ; 2 · a person's mind and ... Login SignUp Hello, Games&Quizzes Thesaurus WordoftheDay Features BuyingGuide M-WBooks MyWordsMyWords ViewRecents Account LogOut consciousness noun SaveWord con·​scious·​ness |\ˈkän(t)-shəs-nəs \ EssentialMeaningofconsciousness 1 :theconditionofbeingconscious:thenormalstateofbeingawakeandabletounderstandwhatishappeningaroundyou Sheexperiencedabrieflossofconsciousness.=Shelostconsciousness[=becameunconscious]briefly.Heslowlyregainedconsciousness[=becameconsciousagain;wokeup]afterthesurgery. 2 :aperson'smindandthoughts Themedicationcausedhertoenteranalteredstateofconsciousness. 3 :knowledgethatissharedbyagroupofpeople Theeventshavebecomepartofthenationalconsciousness.acrisisthathasfadedfromthepublicconsciousness[=thatthepublicnolongerremembersorthinksabout] FullDefinitionofconsciousness 1a :thequalityorstateofbeingawareespeciallyofsomethingwithinoneself b :thestateorfactofbeingconsciousofanexternalobject,state,orfact c :awareness especially :concernforsomesocialorpoliticalcause Theorganizationaimstoraisethepoliticalconsciousnessofteenagers. 2 :thestateofbeingcharacterizedbysensation,emotion,volition,andthought:mind 3 :thetotalityofconsciousstatesofanindividual 4 :thenormalstateofconsciouslife regainedconsciousness 5 :theupperlevelofmentallifeofwhichthepersonisawareascontrastedwithunconsciousprocesses Synonyms MoreExampleSentences LearnMoreAboutconsciousness Synonymsforconsciousness Synonyms advertence, advertency, attention, awareness, cognizance, ear, eye, heed, knowledge, mindfulness, note, notice, observance, observation VisittheThesaurusforMore  ExamplesofconsciousnessinaSentence Themedicationcausedhertoenteranalteredstateofconsciousness. Theeventshavebecomepartofthenationalconsciousness. Hehopesthathecanraisepublicconsciousnessofthedisease. SeeMore RecentExamplesontheWeb Andnow,there'sawaytoone-uptheeco-consciousnessinthatholidaytradition—gettheperfecttreefromanationalforest. — RachelChang,Travel+Leisure,9Dec.2021 IftheForceiswithFunko—andthewindscooperate—thecompanyanditslineofvinylfigurinescouldmaketheleapfromthecoolnerds’lunchtabletomainstreampopconsciousness. — NewYorkTimes,24Nov.2021 Onthisanalysis,thesymptomsdeemedevidenceofPTSDareinfactonlyanextremeversionofadistinctivelymodernconsciousness. — WillSelf,Harper'sMagazine,23Nov.2021 Andthatwassocooltohavethatcollectiveconsciousnessasopposedtotheisolatedexperienceofit. — MaureenLeeLenker,EW.com,19Nov.2021 FouadJaber,aprofessorandwaterresourcesextensionspecialistatTexasA&MUniversity,addsthattheuptickinrainwaterharvestingisbeingdrivenbyagrowing,collective,environmentalconsciousness. — TaraAdhikari,TheChristianScienceMonitor,19Nov.2021 TherootsofthesmartphonedatebacktowaybeforethefirstiPhone,buttheoriginaliPhonerepresentstheconceptofthesmartphonecomingtomainstreamconsciousness. — ChristianDeLooper,BGR,14Nov.2021 Therewasacollectiveconsciousness:TherewereshopsinBirminghamliketheOasiswheresuddenlycolorhadcomebackintofashion. — CoreySeymour,Vogue,26Oct.2021 Thechallengeandpoignancyofthecollectionisthatitsessaysmarkboththeevolutionofaconsciousnessanditsabruptend. — ElizaGriswold,TheNewYorker,26Oct.2021 Theseexamplesentencesareselectedautomaticallyfromvariousonlinenewssourcestoreflectcurrentusageoftheword'consciousness.'ViewsexpressedintheexamplesdonotrepresenttheopinionofMerriam-Websteroritseditors.Sendusfeedback. SeeMore FirstKnownUseofconsciousness 1605,inthemeaningdefinedatsense1a HistoryandEtymologyforconsciousness seeconsciousentry1 LearnMoreAboutconsciousness Shareconsciousness PosttheDefinitionofconsciousnesstoFacebook SharetheDefinitionofconsciousnessonTwitter TimeTravelerforconsciousness Thefirstknownuseofconsciousnesswas in1605 Seemorewordsfromthesameyear FromtheEditorsatMerriam-Webster 'Conscience'vs.'Conscious':LetUsBe... 'Conscience'vs.'Conscious':LetUsBeYourGuide Avoidingconfusioninvolvesgrammarand'science' DictionaryEntriesNearconsciousness conscious consciousness consciousness-raising SeeMoreNearbyEntries  PhrasesRelatedtoconsciousness loseconsciousness regainconsciousness socialconsciousness Statisticsforconsciousness LastUpdated 21Dec2021 Look-upPopularity CitethisEntry “Consciousness.”Merriam-Webster.comDictionary,Merriam-Webster,https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consciousness.Accessed22Dec.2021. Style:MLA MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster MoreDefinitionsforconsciousness consciousness noun con·​scious·​ness |\ˈkän-shəs-nəs \ KidsDefinitionofconsciousness 1 :theconditionofbeingmentallyawakeandactive Followingsurgery,sheslowlyregainedconsciousness. 2 :thepartofthemindinvolvingthoughtandawareness Thememoryispreservedinmyconsciousness. 3 :knowledgeofsomethingspecified Newsreportsraisedconsciousnessoftheproblem. consciousness noun con·​scious·​ness |\ˈkän-chə-snəs \ Medical Definitionofconsciousness 1 :thetotalityinpsychologyofsensations,perceptions,ideas,attitudes,andfeelingsofwhichanindividualoragroupisawareatanygiventimeorwithinagiventimespan alteredstatesofconsciousness,suchassleep,dreamingandhypnosis—BobGaines 2 :wakinglife(asthattowhichonereturnsaftersleep,trance,orfever)inwhichone'snormalmentalpowersarepresent theetherworeoffandthepatientregainedconsciousness 3 :theupperpartofmentallifeofwhichthepersonisawareascontrastedwithunconsciousprocesses MorefromMerriam-Websteronconsciousness Nglish:TranslationofconsciousnessforSpanishSpeakers BritannicaEnglish:TranslationofconsciousnessforArabicSpeakers Britannica.com:Encyclopediaarticleaboutconsciousness WORDOFTHEDAY benign SeeDefinitionsandExamples» GetWordoftheDaydailyemail! 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