Conscience Meaning and Definition
Conscience
Pronunciation
/ˈkɑnsəns/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A person’s internal sense of right and wrong, guiding their moral principles and decisions.
Examples
- After the incident, she struggled with a guilty conscience.
- His conscience wouldn’t let him ignore the suffering of others.
- She didn’t want to do what she thought was wrong, but her conscience kept nagging her.
- His conscience cleared when he realized he made a mistake.
- Her conscience echoed the words of her parents, reminding her of the importance of honesty.
Synonyms
- Skill
- Morality
- Principles
Antonyms
- Hypocrisy
- Niceness
Etymology
From Middle English consonscience, from Old French conscience, from Latin conscientia, from con- (together) + scientia (knowledge).
Usage Notes
Conscience is often used to describe a person’s internal moral guide or the quality of being guided by morals. It can also refer to feelings of guilt or remorse.
Cultural References
In literature and everyday language, conscience is often used to describe the internal voice that guides moral decisions.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
“Listen to your conscience” or “hearing voices” are phrases that relate to the concept of conscience.
Related Words or Phrases
Compassion, empathy, guilt, shame, remorse
Collocations
Moral compass, moral guide, internal voice, inner sense, moral principles
Frequency of Use
Conscience is a relatively common term, often used in everyday language to describe moral principles and feelings.
Common Misspellings
Conscinse, Conscience, Conscienz, Coscience