conscience
noun
con·science
| \ ˈkän(t)-shən(t)s
\
\
Definition of conscience
1a
: 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
in all conscience
or in conscience
: in all fairness
She could not in all conscience remain silent.
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Other Words from conscience
conscienceless
\ ˈkän(t)-shən(t)s-ləs
\
adjective
\
adjective
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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Now, in their crisis of conscience, its machers are heading to places like Esalen, in search of help translating their guilt and emotions into responsible actions. — Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: Today: Where are all the wildfires?," 22 Aug. 2019 An organization that couldn't bring itself to move against child molester Larry Nassar for allegations of abusing gymnasts suddenly wants to sanction athletes for acts of conscience? — Sally Jenkins, courant.com, "When athletes kneel, the rotten U.S. Olympic regime has no moral standing to object," 13 Aug. 2019 Yes, the Dolphins still have a resident voice of conscience. — Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, "Opinion: Activist and Trump critic Kenny Stills is the kind of player every NFL team needs," 7 Aug. 2019 Her voice, in all its forms, has become the liberal conscience on a conservative court, one that speaks out in defense of minorities, immigrants, criminal defendants and death row inmates. — Richard Wolf, USA TODAY, "'The People's Justice:' After decade on Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor is most outspoken on bench and off," 8 Aug. 2019 There are benefits to this: Golf is never far from the sports world’s conscience, and the PGA no longer feels like an afterthought. — Daniel Rapaport, SI.com, "Eight Takeaways From the PGA Tour's Regular Season," 6 Aug. 2019 To many of today’s black writers and critics, Morrison’s role in creating possibilities for a new generation was equally as important as her role as America’s conscience. — Caille Millner, SFChronicle.com, "Toni Morrison, conscience of a nation and first black woman to win Nobel Prize in literature, dead at 88," 6 Aug. 2019 Nagy kept that kick front and center within the team’s conscience during spring practices. — Rich Campbell, chicagotribune.com, "Bears kickers suddenly are thriving in their competition: ‘Maybe I’m crazy, but I think right now they’re doing decent.'," 4 Aug. 2019 By then, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s conjugal viewing of the solar eclipse (taxpayer bill: $33,000) or Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson’s dining room set ($31,000) barely left a blip in the collective conscience. — Jacob S. Hacker, Washington Post, "The missteps and misdeeds of Trump’s Cabinet," 1 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conscience.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for conscience
conscience
noun
English Language Learners Definition of conscience
: the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong
: a feeling that something you have done is morally wrong
See the full definition for conscience in the English Language Learners Dictionary
conscience
noun
con·science
| \ ˈkän-shəns
\
\
Kids Definition of conscience
: a sense of right and wrong and a feeling that what is right should be done
Her conscience told her to tell the truth.
conscience
noun
con·science
| \ ˈkän-chən(t)s
\
\
Medical Definition of conscience
: the part of the superego in psychoanalysis that transmits commands and admonitions to the ego
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conscience
adjective
con·science
Legal Definition of conscience
: exempting persons whose religious beliefs forbid compliance
conscience laws, which allow physicians…to refuse to participate in abortions— W. J. Curran
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