Conscience

/ˈkɒnʃəns/

Meaning & Definition

noun

An inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

Her conscience troubled her after she lied to her friends.

The awareness of moral or ethical significance of one's actions.

He had a clear conscience after donating to charity.

A source of moral or ethical guidance.

The decision weighed heavily on his conscience, as he considered the possible consequences.

From Latin 'conscientia' meaning 'knowledge within'.

clear conscience

A feeling of peace or guiltlessness regarding one's actions.

conscience money

Money paid or given as penance for previous actions.

to have a guilty conscience

To feel regret or guilt for something one has done.

conscientious

Wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly.

unconscionable

Not guided by conscience; morally unacceptable.

self-awareness

Having conscious knowledge of one's own character and feelings.

Guilt trip

Don't give me a guilt trip about not helping out!

Voice of reason

I had to listen to my voice of reason before making that decision.