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longtresses's avatar

Vocab - word for something one is not conscious of?

Asked by longtresses (1334points) March 29th, 2011

What’s the word that describes when someone is not conscious of her behavior, but almost? It’s barely beneath the surface, sort of when her mind drifts off in her space-out moments.

“Subconscious” or “ignorant” just doesn’t sound right…

“Unaware” sounds too strong.

“Repressed” sounds negative.

“Aunt Anne collects recipes. She doesn’t even realize—yet—that she has a fantasy daydream of opening a candy shop. At the supermarket she’s always checking out new flavors, imagining how she would have done it herself. Sadly, she’s so ______ of her dreams. She doesn’t even know what she’s fantasizing about. I’m just waiting for the day that she’ll click, waking up to the evidences of her behavior.”

“It amazes me how Nicky hasn’t realized that she has feelings for Josh. She kind of has a clue, but it’s been mostly ______ all along.”

“I always tell my son to follow his ‘small voice.’ It doesn’t matter how small or whether the idea arrives in the middle of the night. As long as he allows that ______ part of himself, the seed could bloom into a fully realized passion.”

I’m way past the homework age, so I’m not doing homework for anyone. Just trying to write something here.. Thanks!

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10 Answers

cazzie's avatar

All I can think of is ‘repressed’ ... but you wouldn’t be ‘repressed of’ your dreams… you’d simply be ‘repressed’... But the word seems to fit in the other two slots of your writing.

augustlan's avatar

Oblivious?

2davidc8's avatar

For your first example, how about “oblivious”.
For your second example, “subliminal” would be better.
For your third example, I think “subconscious” would be the most appropriate, but you didn’t like that.

Bellatrix's avatar

@augustlan got there first. That was what came to my mind too.

Bellatrix's avatar

Unmindful.

everephebe's avatar

Some subs, that may or may not help you:
subcutaneous
subterranean
subsume
sublimate
sublate
subtle/subtile

And one sup:
suppressed

marinelife's avatar

I would have gone with unaware for the first example.
I would use subconscious for the second.
I would use unheard in the third example.

GabrielsLamb's avatar

Latent, incognito, insensible, unwary.

Bellatrix's avatar

Oh I thought of oblivious… but Auggie beat me too it.

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