raising consciousness

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "raising consciousness" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts related to social awareness, activism, or education, where the goal is to increase awareness about specific issues or topics. Example: "The campaign focuses on raising consciousness about climate change and its impact on our planet."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

Its potential for doing good and raising consciousness is great.

The New York Times - Arts

But that is often less important than raising consciousness, as Natalie Portman has done.

The New York Times - Magazine

"They had many of the same problems we had: education, organising the people to struggle and raising consciousness.

The Guardian - Books

"When we rapped, it was all about raising consciousness and using language to challenge people," Oyewole said.

The New Yorker

In the end Goldman is praised for speaking back to power, raising consciousness and living a life on fire.

The New York Times - Arts

"I wanted to do a direct and substantive project that might be helpful in raising consciousness about the nature of AIDS," Solomon told me.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

Raised consciousness about physical abuse in upper-income homes.

The New York Times

When you get people together to do something for the environment, you raise consciousness.

The New York Times

"No doubt, this has raised consciousness of the honking," Naparstek said.

The New Yorker

It is rather, as he tells us, "to raise consciousness," which is quite another thing.

The New York Times - Books

"He was trying to raise consciousness about our perilous fiscal condition," one official said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "raising consciousness" when you want to emphasize the process of increasing awareness about a particular issue or cause. It's particularly effective in contexts related to social justice, activism, and education.

Common error

Avoid using "raising consciousness" interchangeably with similar terms like "increasing awareness" if you specifically want to highlight the act of making someone conscious of something, rather than simply informing them. "Increasing awareness" is a broader term that might not capture the same sense of transformative understanding.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "raising consciousness" is as a gerund phrase, often serving as a noun. It describes the act of making people more aware of an issue, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

22%

Huffington Post

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "raising consciousness" is a grammatically correct and frequently used gerund phrase that serves to describe the act of increasing awareness about an issue, often within social or political contexts. As Ludwig's analysis shows, it appears most commonly in news and media sources, and the term's purpose is to inspire action, promote understanding, or advocate for social change. While it's similar to "raising awareness", "raising consciousness" often implies a deeper, more critical understanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increasing awareness

Focuses on making people more aware, shifting from the process of raising to the state of being aware.

enhancing understanding

Emphasizes deepening comprehension rather than just initial awareness.

promoting awareness

Highlights the active promotion aspect of making something known.

fostering awareness

Suggests nurturing and developing awareness over time.

heightening awareness

Implies increasing the intensity of existing awareness.

cultivating awareness

Suggests carefully developing and maintaining awareness.

awakening consciousness

Conveys a sense of sudden realization or understanding.

popularizing knowledge

Focuses on making knowledge widely accessible and understood.

spreading information

Emphasizes the distribution of information to a wider audience.

educating the public

Highlights the educational aspect of increasing awareness.

FAQs

How can I use "raising consciousness" in a sentence?

You can use "raising consciousness" to describe efforts to increase awareness about a particular issue. For example, "The documentary aims at "raising awareness" of environmental pollution".

What are some alternatives to saying "raising consciousness"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "increasing awareness", "promoting understanding", or "heightening awareness" as alternatives to "raising consciousness".

Is "raising consciousness" the same as "raising awareness"?

"Raising consciousness" and "raising awareness" are similar, but "raising consciousness" often implies a deeper level of understanding and engagement. "Raising awareness" is a broader term that can refer to simply making people aware of a fact or issue.

What's the difference between "raising consciousness" and "educating the public"?

While both aim to increase knowledge, "raising consciousness" often focuses on fostering a critical understanding of social or political issues, while "educating the public" is a more general term that encompasses a wider range of topics and learning methods.