What's the Difference Between 'Conscience' and 'Conscious'?
In this blog post we look at when to use conscience and when to use conscious.
'Conscience' or 'Conscious'?
"Conscience" and "conscious" are two words that sound similar but have different meanings and uses.
"Conscience" is a noun that refers to an inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives.
It is often used to describe the moral principle that guides a person's actions and decisions.
"Conscious" is an adjective that refers to being aware of one's surroundings, thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
It is also used to describe a state of being awake and alert.
In summary, "conscience" refers to an inner sense of right or wrong and guides a person's actions and decisions, while "conscious" refers to being aware of one's surroundings, thoughts, feelings and sensations or being awake and alert.
Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference between “conscience” and “conscious”:
"He followed his conscience and did the right thing."
This sentence is using "conscience" as a noun to refer to an inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, in this case, the inner sense of right or wrong guided the person's actions and decisions to do the right thing.
"He became conscious after the anesthesia wore off."
This sentence is using "conscious" as an adjective to describe a state of being awake and alert, in this case, the person was not awake and alert before but he regained the state of being conscious after the anesthesia wore off.
"She has a strong conscience and always tries to do what is right."
This sentence is using "conscience" as a noun to refer to an inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, in this case, the person has a strong moral principle that guides her actions and decisions always to do what is right.
"She is conscious of her own thoughts and feelings."
This sentence is using "conscious" as an adjective to describe being aware of one's thoughts and feelings, in this case, the person is aware and in control of her thoughts and feelings.
Examples of Conscience in a Sentence
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His conscience is clear, he knows he did nothing wrong.
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The guilt weighed heavily on her conscience.
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She struggled with her conscience over the decision she had made.
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The company's actions were in violation of their corporate conscience.
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He couldn't live with himself if he didn't follow his conscience.
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The accused pleaded that his conscience was clear, he had nothing to do with the crime.
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The organization's mission statement reflects their conscience towards social responsibility.
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Her conscience prevented her from lying to her friends.
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The company's conscience is reflected in their commitment to sustainability.
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His conscience wouldn't allow him to ignore the suffering of others.
Examples of Conscious in a Sentence
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He was conscious throughout the entire procedure.
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The patient is still unconscious and unable to communicate.
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It's important to stay conscious of your surroundings when walking alone at night.
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The company is conscious of its impact on the environment and works to reduce its carbon footprint.
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He was conscious of the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.
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The company's mission is to create products that are conscious of the consumers' needs.
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She is conscious of the importance of physical activity for her health.
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The company is conscious of the latest trends in the industry and adapts accordingly.
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They were conscious of the time and made sure to finish the project before the deadline.
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He was conscious of the fact that he had made a mistake, but he didn't know how to fix it.
