conscious
conscious — adjective
- consciouspositive
- more consciouscomparative
- most conscioussuperlative
1. knowing that something — a person, an object, or an event — is present or taking
knowing that something — a person, an object, or an event — is present or taking place near you
Linh was conscious of the tension in the room as soon as she walked in.
conscious of [something]
Jabari suddenly became conscious of the fact that everyone was staring at him.
become conscious of the fact that…
The driver was not conscious of the warning signs on the narrow mountain road.
Are you conscious of any changes in your son's behaviour since he changed schools?
用法筆記
Frequently used in the pattern 'conscious of + noun/gerund' or 'conscious that + clause'. Less common in affirmative simple-present than in negative or question forms.
常見錯誤
2. in a condition in which you are not asleep, your mind is working, and you can se
in a condition in which you are not asleep, your mind is working, and you can sense the things near you
Yuki remained conscious throughout the entire medical examination.
remain conscious
The patient was barely conscious when the ambulance arrived at the hospital.
barely conscious
Hamza was fully conscious but too weak to open his eyes after the accident.
The paramedic checked whether the injured cyclist was still conscious.
After the surgery, Saira slowly became conscious and asked for a glass of water.
- unconscious
the standard medical opposite
- sedated
medically induced loss of full awareness
用法筆記
Common in medical contexts. Frequently paired with adverbs of degree: 'fully', 'barely', 'partially', 'semi-'. The opposite is 'unconscious', not 'asleep'.
常見錯誤
3. done on purpose because you have thought about it and made a clear decision, not
done on purpose because you have thought about it and made a clear decision, not by accident
Constanza made a conscious effort to arrive early for every team meeting.
make a conscious effort to [do]
Lucas's decision to leave his job was a conscious choice after months of careful thought.
a conscious choice
The chef made a conscious decision to use only local ingredients in her dishes.
Sivan's conscious act of kindness toward her colleague was not an automatic reaction.
- deliberate
closest synonym; can also describe negative actions, which 'conscious' typically avoids
- intentional
very similar; often used in legal or moral contexts
- purposeful
suggests determination and a clear goal
- voluntary
focuses on the freedom of choice rather than the thought process
- unintentional
the direct opposite
- accidental
emphasises lack of planning or intent
- subconscious
done without active awareness or deliberate thought
用法筆記
The noun phrase patterns 'a conscious effort / choice / decision / attempt' are very common. The pattern implies the action required thought and was not habitual or instinctive.
常見錯誤
4. giving a lot of attention to a particular issue because you care about it or bel
giving a lot of attention to a particular issue because you care about it or believe it matters a great deal
The company is becoming more environmentally conscious about its packaging materials.
environmentally conscious
Maja is very health-conscious and checks the sugar content of everything she eats.
health-conscious
Younger travelers are increasingly budget-conscious when planning their holidays abroad.
The school launched a campaign to make students more safety-conscious in the science lab.
Fashion-conscious shoppers lined up outside the new store before it even opened.
- indifferent
not caring about an issue at all
- unconcerned
not worried or interested
用法筆記
This sense is most often used as the second part of a compound adjective: 'health-conscious', 'environmentally conscious', 'safety-conscious', 'budget-conscious', 'fashion-conscious'. The first element names the issue someone cares about.
常見錯誤
conscious — noun
1. the part of the mind that is aware of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings — use
the part of the mind that is aware of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings — used mainly in philosophy or formal writing as a synonym for 'consciousness'
The meditation teacher spoke about expanding one's conscious beyond everyday thoughts and worries.
In some philosophical traditions, the conscious is seen as separate from the physical body.
the conscious (noun usage)
Some psychologists argue that the conscious handles only a small part of our daily decisions.
Professor Anthony asked whether animals have a conscious in the same way humans do.
- consciousness
the standard noun form; 'conscious' as a noun is very rare in everyday English
- awareness
everyday alternative that avoids the rare noun usage
conscious — suffix
1. used after a noun or adverb to form an adjective meaning that someone cares deep
used after a noun or adverb to form an adjective meaning that someone cares deeply about that thing or believes it is important
The new brand targets eco-conscious consumers who avoid single-use plastic packaging.
eco-conscious
As a cost-conscious manager, Élise negotiated better prices with all her suppliers.
cost-conscious
The hotel chain is trying to attract image-conscious business travellers.
Design-conscious homeowners look for furniture that is both stylish and practical.
用法筆記
This suffix attaches freely to nouns and some adverbs (e.g. 'environmentally'). The resulting compound can be written with or without a hyphen depending on the dictionary, though the hyphenated form is most common in British English.