self-conscious
Americanadjective
-
excessively aware of being observed by others.
-
conscious of oneself or one's own being.
adjective
-
unduly aware of oneself as the object of the attention of others; embarrassed
-
conscious of one's existence
Usage
What does self-conscious mean? Self-conscious means overly aware of and sensitive to attention from others, often to the point of feeling anxious or embarrassed.In this sense, self-conscious is always used negatively. A person can be self-conscious in general, or about a particular aspect of themselves. Much less commonly, it is used to mean aware of one’s existence.Example: She says she never wears short-sleeved shirts because she’s self-conscious about the way her arms look.
Other Word Forms
- self-consciously adverb
- self-consciousness noun
Etymology
Origin of self-conscious
First recorded in 1670–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
So he always appreciated the ability to point to his official biography on MLB.com, where he was listed at that critical height for the self-conscious male: 6-feet even.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The A-level student hopes new antihistamine injections every four weeks will improve her symptoms, which cause her to miss out on plans with friends and leave her feeling self-conscious.
From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026
While Phineas is charismatic, generous and has “a serene capacity for affection,” Gene is a self-conscious outsider who has to work hard to get good grades.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
“For a while I was a little self-conscious, not about my accent but about how I speak, like, ‘Am I flowing with these words in English correctly?
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025
I felt nervous and awkward and self-conscious and uncomfortable.
From "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
