collective unconscious
noun
: the inherited part of the unconscious that especially in the psychoanalytic theory of Carl Gustav Jung occurs in and is shared by all the members of a people or race
Examples of collective unconscious in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Whatever dreams may have been swirling in electronic music’s collective unconscious on January 1, 2020, they were fated to die on the vine.
—
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2024
Chalice of Blood evokes the horrors of religious war without coming close to reviving our collective unconscious.
—Armond White, National Review, 7 Aug. 2024
But Herry’s insight into France’s social instability reminds us of a nation’s psychic conflict — and that Boorman’s movie, signifying his interest in the collective unconscious, was based on a book titled Country of My Skull.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Aug. 2024
At a time when conversations around self-discovery are surging, the analyst’s theories on the collective unconscious, archetypes and shadow are increasingly influencing the work of social media-savvy healers, therapists and life coaches.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for collective unconscious 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2024
Chalice of Blood evokes the horrors of religious war without coming close to reviving our collective unconscious.
—Armond White, National Review, 7 Aug. 2024
But Herry’s insight into France’s social instability reminds us of a nation’s psychic conflict — and that Boorman’s movie, signifying his interest in the collective unconscious, was based on a book titled Country of My Skull.
—Armond White, National Review, 2 Aug. 2024
At a time when conversations around self-discovery are surging, the analyst’s theories on the collective unconscious, archetypes and shadow are increasingly influencing the work of social media-savvy healers, therapists and life coaches.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for collective unconscious
Dictionary Entries Near collective unconscious
Cite this Entry
“Collective unconscious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collective%20unconscious. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
collective unconscious
noun
col·lec·tive unconscious
kə-ˈlek-tiv- 
: the genetically determined part of the unconscious that especially in the psychoanalytic theory of C. G. Jung occurs in all the members of a people or race
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share