self-conscious

adjective

self-con·​scious ˌself-ˈkän(t)-shəs 

1

a

: conscious of one's own acts or states as belonging to or originating in oneself : aware of oneself as an individual

b

: intensely aware of oneself : conscious

a rising and self-conscious social class

also : produced or done with such awareness

self-conscious art

2

: uncomfortably conscious of oneself as an object of the observation of others : ill at ease

self-consciously adverb

self-consciousness noun

Examples of self-conscious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If there are things that these youths feel self-conscious about doing in front of a camera, there’s little evidence of that reserve here. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2024

This is not just a self-conscious crime comedy, per se. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2024

Part of the problem is that its creators, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, are so self-conscious. —David Benedict, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024

How to Die Alone casts Rothwell as Melissa, a self-conscious, self-sabotaging airport worker who has a brush with death during a lonely 35th birthday spent eating takeout and assembling IKEA-like furniture. —Judy Berman, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

self-conscious

adjective

self-con·​scious

ˈself-ˈkän-chəs

: uncomfortably conscious of oneself as an object of the observation of others

self-consciously adverb

self-consciousness noun