Charles DickensW. S. Vucinich
ˈkän-ˌsəlt
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Confer vs. Consult
Confer and consult are very closely related in meaning, and each has senses that are synonymous with the other’s. But as is so often the case with near-synonyms, there are contexts in which one word is preferable to the other.
If you confer with someone, it is entirely possible that you will be seeking advice, but you could also simply be having a discussion (“they conferred privately before making a decision”). If you are consulting someone or something, it is more likely that you are seeking advice (“he consulted his doctor before deciding on a course of treatment”). Consult is unambiguously the correct choice when one is seeking guidance or information from a non-human source; you would consult (not confer with) a dictionary for information on a word.
The sense of confer that is concerned with giving something (as in, “education confers many benefits”) is not shared by consult.
Synonyms
Verb
Noun
Examples of consult in a Sentence
Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
Among those consulted are current board members Michele L. Watley and Stacy Shaw.
Watley, who was born and raised in Wyandotte County, Kansas, transitioned from a successful career as a union carpenter to civic advocacy.
—The Star’s Leadership Team, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2024
That budget will continue to be revised as officials gather more information from unit leaders and the consulting firm brought on to analyze the athletics budget and UAGC.
—The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
The union group and YouGov surveyed more than 2,300 U.K. adults, finding seven out of 10 people thought workers should be consulted before a firm introduces AI in the workplace.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 18 Apr. 2024
What did real apes think of 'Sasquatch Sunset'? Though Sasquatch is likely to remain more myth than reality, the way the creatures are portrayed in this film evoked a strong reaction from a few Bonobo apes who saw it when the filmmakers consulted with primatologists.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
According to a recent study conducted by consulting firm Oxford Economics and funded by TikTok, 43% of Latinx entrepreneurs said the social media platform is critical to their business’ existence.
—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The forum is required to consult the government of Israel.
—Brett Murphy, ProPublica, 17 Apr. 2024
Business leaders are faced with the prospect of making some big changes, but a new survey from consulting firm Bain of more than 400 executives and senior leaders has found that only 12% achieved their original business transformation ambitions.
—Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Others do personal consults for a fee that promise in-depth research and recommendations based on their client’s preferences and aesthetic.
—Alice Wolfe, Allure, 15 Mar. 2024
Connect to consumers through outreach that offers consults instead of discounts, prioritizes social media engagement instead of email marketing, and gets the consumer involved by analyzing surveys and feedback.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
When To Contact a Healthcare Provider Any signs of heart disease warrant a consult with a healthcare provider.
—Carey Rossi, Health, 17 Mar. 2024
At the temporary two-day pop-up, guests scored complimentary treatments and skin care pairings, skin consults with experts, and take home premium product samples and limited-edition offerings.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024
In the United States alone, AUB accounts for one-third of outpatient visits to gynecologists and more than 70% of gynecologic consults among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
—Brittany Barreto, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
In response to the lawsuit, the Department of Corrections has hired an independent medical expert from Denver Health, as well as a gender-affirming care specialist, to help oversee requests for housing assignments and surgical consults.
—Moe K. Clark, The Denver Post, 2 Feb. 2024
Kenji Yoshino, a New York University law professor and director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, consults with Fortune 500 companies on the legal risks facing DEI programs.
—Julian Mark, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consult.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near consult
Cite this Entry
“Consult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consult. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
consult
transitive verb
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