awareness

noun

aware·​ness ə-ˈwer-nəs 

: the quality or state of being aware : knowledge and understanding that something is happening or exists

promoting a heightened awareness of the problem

seemed to have only a slight awareness of what was going on

an acute awareness of subtle differences

They hope to raise awareness of endangered species, encouraging donations and attracting tourists to the region to support conservation efforts.

—New Scientist

The alternative press played a particularly important role in raising political awareness and facilitating mobilization against the regime in South Africa …

—Larry Diamond

Synonyms of awareness

• attention
• mindfulness
• consciousness
• knowledge

Examples of awareness in a Sentence

while strolling in the big city, maintain an awareness of what's going on around you

Recent Examples on the Web

As awareness grows, primary-care doctors and gynecologists are likely to see more patients asking about scent changes. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

The award is presented by the American Heart Association to celebrate excellence in coaching, honor Bryant’s legacy and to raise awareness and funds for its mission. — Pj Green october 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026

The longer the song goes on, the more the relentless pulse of the drums starts to seem indifferent and mechanical, an actual machine with no awareness of human life, while the drones grow longer and feel more and more like deep sighs. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during Operation Metro Surge, in Minnesota last January, were a turning point in the public’s awareness of the problem, but their deaths were not the first. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing awareness

• hyper-awareness
• phonemic awareness
• phonological awareness
• self-awareness

Rhymes for awareness

• unawareness
• bareness
• fairness
• squareness
• unfairness