Conscious Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)
Britannica Dictionary definition of CONSCIOUS
1
[more conscious; most conscious]
:
awake and able to understand what is happening around you
- Is the patient conscious yet?
- He was fully conscious when we found him.
— opposite unconscious
2
not used before a noun,
[more conscious; most conscious]
:
aware of something (such as a fact or feeling)
:
knowing that something exists or is happening
— usually + of or that
- She was very conscious of how late it was.
- We are conscious of the risks involved in the procedure.
- He is conscious of being a role model for children.
- I was conscious of the fact that I had to do well on the test to pass the course.
- He was conscious that they were watching him closely.
— opposite unconscious
3
:
known or felt by yourself
- conscious guilt
- the capacity for conscious thought
— opposite unconscious
4
[more conscious; most conscious]
:
caring about something specified
- He is environmentally conscious. [=he thinks and cares about the health of the environment]
- a cost-conscious shopper [=a shopper who is concerned about the price of things]
— see also self-conscious
5
:
done after thinking about facts and reasons carefully
- I made a conscious [=_deliberate_] effort/attempt to be more compassionate.
- a conscious decision
— opposite unconscious
- Becoming CEO of the company was a goal she had consciously pursued for 10 years.
- someone who craves attention, whether consciously or unconsciously
- I wasn't consciously aware of having laughed.