- operated on the belief that most people are conscientious, the unattended farm stand has a price list and a money drawer for customers to leave payment for their purchases
- a counselor who serves patients by first being a conscientious listener
Frequently Asked Questions About conscientious
How does the adjective conscientious differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of conscientious are honest, honorable, just, scrupulous, and upright. While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.
conscientious in the completion of her assignments
scrupulous in carrying out the terms of the will
When can honest be used instead of conscientious?
Although the words honest and conscientious have much in common, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.
known for being honest in business dealings
When could honorable be used to replace conscientious?
The synonyms honorable and conscientious are sometimes interchangeable, but honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.
a difficult but honorable decision
Where would just be a reasonable alternative to conscientious?
The words just and conscientious can be used in similar contexts, but just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.
workers given just compensation
When is upright a more appropriate choice than conscientious?
In some situations, the words upright and conscientious are roughly equivalent. However, upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.
a stern and upright minister
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Cite this Entry
Conscientious. Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, //www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conscientious. Accessed 5 Feb. 2022.