"In sentience" refers to something that is able to perceive and experience sensations. Synonyms for this word include conscious, aware, sentient, alive, and responsive. Conscious refers to being awake and aware of one's surroundings. Aware means having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact. Sentient describes something that is able to perceive or feel things. Alive refers to having life or being alive. Responsive means being able to respond quickly and positively to something. These synonyms are often used interchangeably to describe something that has the ability to sense and respond to its environment.