consolation

noun

con·​so·​la·​tion ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce consolation (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of consoling : the state of being consoled : comfort
She found great consolation in all the cards and letters she received.
2
: something that consoles
specifically : a contest held for those who have lost early in a tournament
consolatory adjective

Examples of consolation in a Sentence

His kind words were a consolation to me. the consolation of the grieving family by their pastor
Recent Examples on the Web The book, which won a National Book Award, is a moving and witty meditation on loss, consolation, the art of fiction and the many shapes that love and friendship can assume. Heller McAlpin, WSJ, 24 Nov. 2023 In their hands, the play is above all about friendship, about how the pyrotechnics of living together—argument and consolation, recrimination and love—are a stay against an often comfortless world. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 Dolores Cannon, who refined a method of regressive hypnotherapy by which subjects felt able to encounter their own past lives, has been an enormous consolation and inspiration to me during times of anxiety and 21st-century world-fear. New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 During the final ad break, Meyers fields questions from the audience — a consolation to fans since there are no celebrity guests. Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023 The only consolation On July 24, Jhmar scored another small win. Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023 Fellow Christians might remind each other of the verse as a way of offering comfort, consolation, and reassurance that things will all work in the end. TIME, 20 Oct. 2023 Rams Close is no consolation this time as Rams’ offense flails in loss to Bengals Sept. 25, 2023 Before the season, many predicted the Rams’ defense might be one of the worst in the NFL. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2023 This is the problem of memoir; this is the consolation of memoir. Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consolation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see console entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of consolation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near consolation

Cite this Entry

“Consolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolation. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

consolation

noun
con·​so·​la·​tion ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce consolation (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of consoling : the state of being consoled
2
: something that consoles
consolatory
kən-ˈsōl-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-sä-lə-
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on consolation

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