cognisance

USAGE SUMMARY

"cognisance" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to someone's knowledge or recognition that something is important or true. For example, "The department took cognisance of the growing population and increased their budget accordingly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

It says: "The recommended remuneration for these roles has been set after rigorous comparison of the external marketplace and gives full cognisance to levels of medical pay at the upper end of the scale.

The Guardian

However distasteful it may be for him, he should take cognisance of the fact that most of the world, including Israel's closest friends, see an end to settlement building as part and parcel of an end to ever escalating violence.

The Economist

"The wide earth will take cognisance of what thou didst attempt and achieve," the clergyman addressed the Haitian hopefully in his Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture (1850), "and pronounce thee a benefactor, not of thy colour, but of thy kind".

The Guardian - Books

There will be then proper reward and proper cognisance of those that try and do it right.

The Guardian - Sport

The opening hours did probably increase the respite between waves of cognisance, but the merest scent of apparent pleasure was followed by an immediate reminder that such sensations were outside of my ambit.

The Guardian - Sport

The primary narcissism Freud described, of the early infant with no cognisance of other beings beyond its own borders is our common understanding of the term – the self-involved, easily-bored craver of adulation.

The Guardian

Yet to correlate that to Vogts's nationality would not take cognisance of the newspaper ridicule bestowed on George Burley and, to a lesser extent, Craig Levein as their respective periods in charge of the Scots unravelled.

The Guardian - Sport

The Scotland manager's job has not yet become so hazardous that it must carry a health warning but Craig Levein's successor will naturally take cognisance of recent history.

The Guardian - Sport

"But if you say that 1 million people will die or 7 million will go hungry – are they really accurately taking cognisance of the entire situation?

The Guardian

They're present, too, in Penny Dreadful – a drama about a group of wounded individuals who have a number of things in common – aching loneliness, a cognisance of their own sin, and knowledge of a supernatural world unseen by those they pass on the pavement.

The Guardian - Books

If Westminster didn't bother to take cognisance either of the shuttlefolk, or of their Icarus-like fall, that was its funeral.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer "cognizance" in American English, as it's the more common spelling.

Common error

Avoid mistaking "cognisance" with words like "cognitive" or "recognizance". "Cognisance" refers to awareness or knowledge, while "cognitive" relates to mental processes and "recognizance" is a legal term for a formal acknowledgment.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "cognisance" is as a noun. It refers to the knowledge or awareness of something, often in a formal or official context. Ludwig examples demonstrate its usage in phrases like "take cognisance of," indicating consideration or acknowledgement.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cognisance" is a noun denoting awareness or knowledge, primarily used in British English while the variant "cognizance" is preferred in American English. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and suitable for formal contexts like news reports, scientific publications, and business documents. It is often used to indicate that something has been taken into consideration. Related terms include "awareness", "knowledge", and "understanding", providing alternative ways to express a similar meaning with subtle nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

awareness

Direct synonym, implying a general state of being conscious or informed.

knowledge

Focuses on possessing specific information or understanding.

understanding

Implies a deeper comprehension and insight into a subject.

consciousness

Similar to awareness, but can also imply a sense of moral or ethical awareness.

recognition

Emphasizes acknowledging or identifying something.

perception

Focuses on the way something is understood or interpreted.

appreciation

Implies valuing or understanding the importance of something.

mindfulness

Emphasizes being present and aware of one's surroundings or experiences.

taking into account

Phrasal verb indicating consideration of certain factors.

bearing in mind

Phrasal verb indicating remembering or considering something important.

FAQs

How to use "cognisance" in a sentence?

You can use "cognisance" to indicate that someone is aware of something or taking it into consideration. For example, "The committee took cognisance of the public's concerns before making a final decision."

What can I say instead of "cognisance"?

You can use alternatives like "awareness", "knowledge", or "understanding" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "cognisance" or "cognizance"?

"Cognisance" and "cognizance" are both correct, but "cognisance" is more common in British English, while "cognizance" is preferred in American English.

What's the difference between "cognisance" and "cognitive"?

"Cognisance" refers to awareness or knowledge, while "cognitive" relates to mental processes such as thinking, reasoning, and remembering. They are related to the mind, but have different meanings.