Awareness or moral judgment?
conscious vs conscience
Meaning, pronunciation, and examples
Conscious means awake or aware. Conscience is your inner sense of right and wrong. Conscience adds an /n/ sound near the end.
American English
Hear the difference
Each term has female and male playback at natural speed. Listen without looking, then compare the recordings with the IPA.
Word 1
conscious
adjective
Awake, aware, or deliberately noticing something.
US pronunciation
/ˈkɑːnʃəs/
UK IPA
/ˈkɒnʃəs/
Hear two natural voices
Word 2
conscience
noun
A person’s inner sense of what is morally right or wrong.
US pronunciation
/ˈkɑːnʃəns/
UK IPA
/ˈkɒnʃəns/
Hear two natural voices
Sound contrast
How to tell them apart
Both begin KAHN-shuh. Conscious ends directly with /s/. Conscience inserts an /n/ before that final /s/: KAHN-shuhns. Let the tip of your tongue touch behind your upper teeth for the N.
Direct answer
What is the difference?
Use conscious for physical wakefulness, deliberate awareness, or an intentional choice. Use conscience for the moral feeling that guides behavior or makes someone feel guilty about a choice.
Listen in context
6 example sentences
Context makes meaning, grammar, and natural rhythm easier to understand. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
conscious
- He remained conscious after the fall.
- I became conscious of the background noise.
- Choosing local food was a conscious decision.
Examples with
conscience
- His guilty conscience kept him awake.
- Let your conscience guide the decision.
- She returned the wallet with a clear conscience.
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