unconscious
uhn-KON-shuhs
Unconscious (adj) means not awake and unaware of one's surroundings, often due to injury or illness. Example: “The cyclist lay unconscious on the road until the ambulance arrived.”
adj
1
Not awake and unaware of one's surroundings, often due to injury or illness.
"The cyclist lay unconscious on the road until the ambulance arrived."
"She fainted and was unconscious for a few minutes."
"He was knocked unconscious during the match."
2
Done without conscious awareness or intention.
"Tapping your foot to music can be an unconscious habit."
"He gave an unconscious nod without really listening to the question."
"Her unconscious bias affected how she scored the candidates."
noun
1
The part of the mind that operates outside a person's awareness.
"Some old fears sit deep in the unconscious and surface in strange ways."
"The therapist asked how thoughts from the unconscious might shape her choices."
"Dreams are often described as messages from the unconscious."
How to use unconscious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot awake or aware — either physically knocked out, or acting without realizing it.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
unconscious bias
knocked unconscious
the unconscious mind
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Word forms
- Plural
- unconsciouses
- Comparative
- more unconscious
- Superlative
- most unconscious
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The cyclist lay _____ on the road until the ambulance arrived.
Etymology
From un- + conscious.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for unconscious
See all rhymes for unconscious →Frequently asked questions
What does “unconscious” mean?
The word “unconscious” means not awake and unaware of one's surroundings, often due to injury or illness. In plain terms, not awake or aware — either physically knocked out, or acting without realizing it.
How do you pronounce “unconscious”?
“Unconscious” is pronounced uhn-KON-shuhs (/ˌʌnˈkɑnʃəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “unconscious” in a sentence?
Here is “unconscious” used in a sentence: “He was knocked unconscious during the match.”
What part of speech is “unconscious”?
Depending on how it is used, “unconscious” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “unconscious” a common word?
“Unconscious” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “unconscious” have?
“Unconscious” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not awake and unaware of one's surroundings, often due to injury or illness.
What is the difference between "unconscious" and "subconscious"?
"Unconscious" can mean not awake, as after fainting or injury, or it can describe mental processes happening entirely outside awareness. "Subconscious" is a more everyday term for thoughts and feelings just below awareness that can sometimes be brought to mind; in psychology, the "unconscious" is the more technical term.
What is the difference between "unconscious" and "conscious"?
"Conscious" means awake and aware of your surroundings, or acting deliberately, while "unconscious" means either not awake and unaware, as after an injury, or done without deliberate awareness. They are direct opposites.
What is the difference between "unconscious" and "unconscionable"?
Despite the similar spelling, they are unrelated in meaning. "Unconscious" means not awake, or acting without awareness, while "unconscionable" means morally unacceptable or unreasonably excessive.
What is the difference between being "unconscious" and being "asleep"?
Sleep is a natural, reversible state from which a person can be roused easily, while being unconscious usually results from injury, illness, or anaesthesia and cannot be reversed simply by waking the person. Medically, the two are distinct states.
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