Word
consciousness
Phoneticscon·scious·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɑnʃəsnəs/
UK/kˈɒnʃəsnəs/
Definitions
01being awake
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Medicine
n. the state of being awake and able to see, hear, and think.
n. the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings. Uncountable in this sense.
Español:conciencia
“The patient slowly regained consciousness after the long operation.”
“The boxer lost consciousness momentarily after the blow, but he managed to recover his senses before the referee finished the count.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'lose' or 'regain'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02mental awareness
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic
n. your mind and thoughts, and the way you notice things around you.
n. the totality of the impressions, thoughts, and feelings, which make up a person's conscious being.
Español:conciencia
“The memory of the accident was always at the back of his consciousness.”
“The novel explores the protagonist's inner consciousness through a series of fragmented memories and sensory observations.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrase 'stream of consciousness' in literary contexts.
03shared beliefs
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Politics Academic · Formal
n. the ideas and opinions that a group of people share about a topic.
n. the shared set of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs held by a particular group or society.
“The movement aimed to change the political consciousness of the country.”
“Environmental issues have finally entered the public consciousness, leading to significant changes in consumer behaviour and government policy.”
Usage
Often modified by adjectives like 'class', 'political', or 'public'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “consciousness” in context.
Verb
01. drift into consciousness
“As the sun rose, he began to drift into consciousness after a long sleep.”
verb + prep + noun
02. lose consciousness
“The boxer lost consciousness for several minutes after the final blow.”
verb + noun
03. regain consciousness
“She slowly regained consciousness in the hospital surrounded by her family.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. collective consciousness
“The tragedy left a deep scar on the collective consciousness of the nation.”
adj + noun
05. heightened consciousness
“Meditation can lead to a state of heightened consciousness and clarity.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. loss of consciousness
“A sudden loss of consciousness can be a symptom of a serious medical condition.”
noun + of + noun
07. stream of consciousness
“The novel is written in a stream of consciousness style that mimics real thought.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. in the public consciousness
“The environmental crisis has remained firmly in the public consciousness.”
prep + noun
09. consciousness across cultures
Real-World Examples
“I mean, more than 700 to 1000 degrees super fast."
The dangers of lithium-ion batteries really broke into the public consciousness following a series of phone-related fires about a decade ago.” “Their temperature could go over 40C and they might have seizures or lose consciousness.” “Sadhguru, the yogi who taught me how to meditate, appeared on stage at Romania’s 470,000-capacity electronic music festival Untold to speak on the need for greater global, collective consciousness.” “The company was vaulted into the public’s consciousness after Amazon Ring announced and then cancelled its plan to integrate Flock’s license plate reader technology into its doorbell cameras.” Etymology
From conscious + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0