sub·con·scious
ˌsəb-ˈkän(t)-shəs 
ˈsəb-
: existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness
a subconscious motive
subconsciousness
noun
: the mental activities just below the threshold of consciousness
Examples of subconscious in a Sentence
Noun
A person's behavior can be influenced by urges that exist only in the subconscious.
Those feelings had been hidden in her subconscious.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Use Strobe Glasses For Practicing Shots Vima Rev glasses incorporate a strobe that flicks on and off, interrupting your vision and forcing your eyes to work harder and your subconscious to function with less visual input.
—Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 3 July 2024
Matt Fuchs, TIME, 11 June 2024
With the Cat Full of Spiders Tarot Deck and Guidebook, out this fall from Insight Editions, comes a surrealist dive into the cinematic subconscious of the Wednesday star.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for subconscious 
Adjective
The exalted subconscious, the spurning of reason—these are the precepts of Breton’s manifesto, familiar from any art-history textbook.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Use Strobe Glasses For Practicing Shots Vima Rev glasses incorporate a strobe that flicks on and off, interrupting your vision and forcing your eyes to work harder and your subconscious to function with less visual input.
—Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 3 July 2024
Noun
The sound woke him in a dreamy state, providing unique windows into his subconscious that sparked new ideas.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 11 June 2024
With the Cat Full of Spiders Tarot Deck and Guidebook, out this fall from Insight Editions, comes a surrealist dive into the cinematic subconscious of the Wednesday star.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for subconscious
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subconscious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near subconscious
Cite this Entry
“Subconscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subconscious. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
subconscious
1 of 2 adjective
sub·con·scious
ˌsəb-ˈkän-chəs
ˈsəb-
: existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness
a subconscious motive
subconsciously
adverb
subconscious
2 of 2 noun
: the mental activities just below the limit of consciousness
Medical Definition
subconscious
1 of 2 adjective
sub·con·scious
ˌsəb-ˈkän-chəs, ˈsəb-
1
: existing in the mind but not immediately available to consciousness : affecting thought, feeling, and behavior without entering awareness
subconscious motives
a subconscious reflex
2
: imperfectly conscious : partially but not fully aware
the persistence of subconscious dream activity for several minutes after waking—Psychological Abstracts
Psychological Abstracts
subconsciously
adverb
subconsciousness
noun
subconscious
2 of 2 noun
: the mental activities just below the threshold of consciousness
also
: the aspect of the mind concerned with such activities compare unconscious
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