Meaning & use

subconscious

adjective·Academic

Relating to mental processes that occur without a person's full awareness.

See it in a sentence

Her subconscious fear of failure kept her from applying for the job.

Advertisers rely on subconscious associations between a brand and happiness.

A note on using this word

As a noun, 'the subconscious' refers to the part of the mind holding these hidden processes, though its exact scientific status is debated.

Words with a similar meaning

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Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

conscious

Another way to use it

2. noun

The part of the mind that influences behavior without a person's conscious awareness.

He believed the dream revealed something buried in his subconscious.

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