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'Conscious' is the adjective meaning aware or awake; 'conscience' is the moral sense that guides right and wrong.
Side-by-side comparison
"Conscious" describes the state of being awake and aware of what is happening. Also self-aware: "self-conscious" means aware of how others see you.
She was barely conscious after the accident and could not answer the paramedic's questions.
He made a conscious decision to reduce his social media use by two hours a day.
She became conscious of being watched and turned around to find the entire office staring.
"Conscience" is the moral sense of right and wrong: the inner voice that tells you when something is right or wrong. It is what makes you feel guilty.
His conscience would not let him stay silent while an injustice was being committed.
She slept well that night with a clear conscience, knowing she had done the right thing.
The company acted against its stated values, drawing criticism from employees with a conscience.
Common mistake
- •"She was barely conscience after the accident" is wrong: the word for being awake or aware is "conscious" (adjective).
- •"Conscience" is the noun for the inner moral voice.
Trick to remember it
- •"Conscious" ends in -IOUS like "obvious" and "serious", all adjectives.
- •"Conscience" contains SCIENCE, your moral conscience is the inner science of right and wrong.
Quick rule
- •"Conscious" (adjective) = awake, aware, or deliberate.
- •"Conscience" (noun) = the inner moral voice.
Did you know?
Both words come from the same Latin root "conscientia" (shared knowledge, moral sense): "com" (together) + "scire" (to know). Latin used one word for both concepts; English split them. Descartes popularised "consciousness" in the philosophical sense (17th century), and Freud divided it into "conscious", "subconscious", and "unconscious". "Conscience" is central to Kantian ethics. Kant argued the moral conscience was a universal, rational guide present in every person.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
After taking the money, he felt his _____ telling him it was wrong.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She was still _____ after the fall. She could hear the paramedics talking to her.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy