# consciousness

/ˈkɑnʃəsnəs/ (US) · /kˈɒnʃəsnəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/consciousness
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. being awake

noun · CEFR B2

the state of being awake and able to see, hear, and think.

For teachers: the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings. Uncountable in this sense.

- 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'.

### 2. mental awareness

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

your mind and thoughts, and the way you notice things around you.

For teachers: the totality of the impressions, thoughts, and feelings, which make up a person's conscious being.

- 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.

### 3. shared beliefs

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

the ideas and opinions that a group of people share about a topic.

For teachers: 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'.

## Examples

- The patient lost consciousness after hitting his head on the floor.
- The campaign aims to raise public consciousness about the dangers of plastic pollution in our oceans.
- Philosophers and neuroscientists continue to debate the hard problem of consciousness, questioning how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective, qualitative experiences.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.