AWARE

Aware is an adjective meaning having knowledge or perception of a situation, fact, or condition. It is commonly used with the phrase be aware of, as in “She is aware of the risks” or “We should become aware of our surroundings.” The term can also convey attentiveness or mindfulness, not merely factual knowledge.

The word derives from Old English gewær, meaning watchful or wary, with the sense of knowledge developing in Middle English. The modern sense of being conscious of something emerged in later usage.

Types of awareness include self-awareness, the understanding of one’s own thoughts, feelings, and motives; situational awareness, the perception of elements in the environment relative to time and space; social awareness, recognizing others’ feelings and social cues; environmental awareness, attention to ecosystems and sustainability; and moral or ethical awareness, recognizing right and wrong.

In psychology and cognitive science, awareness involves conscious perception and the capacity for metacognition—thinking about one’s own thinking. It can encompass interoceptive awareness (internal bodily states) and exteroceptive awareness (perception of external stimuli).

Awareness is central to education, public health, and safety programs, where increasing knowledge about risks and conditions can influence behavior. In technology, terms such as privacy-aware and context-aware describe systems designed to account for user state and environment. The concept is widely used across disciplines and everyday language to denote knowledge, perception, and attentiveness.

Related concepts include consciousness, mindfulness, attention, and perception.