conscience

noun

con·​science ˈkän(t)-shən(t)s How to pronounce conscience (audio)
1
a
: the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one's own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good
She had a guilty conscience.
b
: a faculty, power, or principle enjoining good acts
guided by conscience
c
: the part of the superego in psychoanalysis that transmits commands and admonitions to the ego
2
: conformity to what one considers to be correct, right, or morally good : conscientiousness
3
: sensitive regard for fairness or justice : scruple
a wealthy man with no conscience
4
archaic : consciousness
conscienceless adjective
Phrases
in all conscience or in conscience
: in all fairness
She could not in all conscience remain silent.

Examples of conscience in a Sentence

… it is a politician's natural instinct to avoid taking any stand that seems controversial unless and until the voters demand it or conscience absolutely requires it. Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006
We like to imagine literature as the still, small voice of human conscience. It is that only rarely, however. Actively and passively, it has always borne along pernicious ideas. Marilynne Robinson, New York Times Book Review, 15 Mar. 1987
So she had lied to him, but so had he to her, they were quits on that score and his conscience was calm. Bernard Malamud, The Magic Barrel, (1950) 1958
The rat had no morals, no conscience, no scruples, no consideration, no decency … E. B. White, Charlotte's Web, 1952
The thief must have had an attack of conscience, because he returned the wallet with nothing missing from it.
Recent Examples on the Web There’s this push-pull between science and conscience and ego. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024 Clad head-to-toe in black, needy and needling, and most crucially a truth-teller in a world of polite lies and shallow eruptions, Lewis was a specter haunting the show, its dark jester and, in many ways, its conscience. Boris Kachka, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The difference between the two is that the psychopath doesn’t have a conscience. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Instead, they are presented as ordinary young people with a conscience. Catherine Bray, Variety, 17 Feb. 2024 Brandt’s debut hasn’t quite the Bard’s poetry, but the plaintive conscience is present and correct. Guy Lodge, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 Eddy’s got a problem: a crisis of conscience and principle. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2024 Long live freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, freedom of worship — and non-worship — etc. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 22 Feb. 2024 Every wrongful conviction that is undone leaves behind a group of individuals who had a role in sending that innocent person to prison and who must now contend with their conscience: the detectives, prosecutors, judge, jurors. Jennifer Gonnerman, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conscience.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin conscientia, from conscient-, consciens, present participle of conscire to be conscious, be conscious of guilt, from com- + scire to know — more at science

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of conscience was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near conscience

Cite this Entry

“Conscience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscience. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conscience

noun
con·​science ˈkän-chən(t)s How to pronounce conscience (audio)
: knowledge of right and wrong and a feeling one should do what is right

Medical Definition

conscience

noun
con·​science ˈkän-chən(t)s How to pronounce conscience (audio)
: the part of the superego in psychoanalysis that transmits commands and admonitions to the ego

Legal Definition

conscience

adjective
con·​science
: exempting persons whose religious beliefs forbid compliance
conscience laws, which allow physicians…to refuse to participate in abortionsW. J. Curran
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