consult

1 of 2

verb

con·​sult kən-ˈsəlt 

consulted; consulting; consults

transitive verb

1

: to have regard to : consider

"Adams, consult your own safety, and don't remain here … "

—Charles Dickens

2

a

: to ask the advice or opinion of

consult a doctor

consult a lawyer

b

: to refer to

consult a dictionary

intransitive verb

1

: to consult an individual

consulted with experts on the matter

2

: to deliberate together : confer

… the three powers would consult on how to ameliorate the internal political conflict …

—W. S. Vucinich

3

: to serve as a consultant

consulter noun

consult

2 of 2

noun

con·​sult kən-ˈsəlt  ˈkän-ˌsəlt 

: consultation

Did you know?

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

• advise
• confab
• confabulate
• confer
• counsel
• parley
• treat

Noun

• argument
• argumentation
• argy-bargy [chiefly British]
• back-and-forth
• colloquy
• confab
• confabulation
• conference
• consultation
• council
• counsel
• debate
• deliberation
• dialogue
• dialog
• discussion
• give-and-take
• palaver
• parley
• talk

Examples of consult in a Sentence

Verb

consult a lawyer about a business matter

You should not attempt these exercises without first consulting your doctor.

He made the decision without consulting me.

I expect to be consulted on important decisions.

I don't remember that part of the meeting; I'll have to consult my notes.

Noun

it was time for a change of do, which called for a consult with her hairdresser

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

To determine the exact date and time of Eid al-Fitr activities, CAIR advised consulting local mosques or Muslim community leaders. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024

The Palestinians’ original application was never approved by the committee, which generally consults the council as to its will before rendering judgment. —Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024

Haiti’s influential private sector has faced its own internal differences after the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Haiti said it was not consulted on naming a representative. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2024

The government and Blue Carbon reached an agreement in March 2023 — months after the company's launch — without consulting local communities, which are concerned about a lack of protections. —Taiwo Adebayo, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024

The department added that investigators also visited the victim's gravesite, reviewed the autopsy report, and consulted with the coroner’s office and SEMO. —David Chiu, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

In the absence of clear guidelines, doctors were obliged to consult with peers or ethics committees regarding conditions as common as preterm ruptures of the amniotic sac, which account for roughly a third of premature births. —Stephania Taladrid, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2024

If these effects persist or worsen, consult your veterinarian. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

Furthermore, those with psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis should also consult with a dermatologist before incorporating scalp detoxes into their routines. —Essence, 3 Apr. 2024

Noun

These days, Balkan consults with businesses and governments looking to reduce waste, often by introducing pay-as-you-throw regimes or privatizing the collection of residential waste. —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

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle French or Latin; Middle French consulter, from Latin consultare, frequentative of consulere to deliberate, counsel, consult

First Known Use

Verb

1527, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

consult

verb

con·​sult

kən-ˈsəlt

1

: to seek the opinion or advice of

consult a doctor

2

: to seek information from

consult a dictionary

3

: to talk something over

have to consult with my lawyer

consulter noun

Medical Definition

consult

transitive verb

con·​sult kən-ˈsəlt 

: to ask the advice or opinion of

consult a doctor