CONSOLATION Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

consolation

noun

ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən

Definition of consolation

as in comforting

the giving of hope and strength in times of grief, distress, or suffering the consolation of the grieving family by their pastor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in relief

a feeling of ease from grief or trouble the consolation that our favorite foods give us when we're having a bad day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of consolation But that's little consolation for those who are stuck on the outskirts of the job market, knocking on doors that rarely open. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 Arkansas lost its 14th straight SEC game, but played markedly better than in their first two conference games of the coach Ryan Silverfield era, though that’s hardly consolation given the length of the streak. — ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026 But the consolations of art do not depend on achievement, and that might be Kingsolver’s most direct riposte to her critics. — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026 In these cases, a president can act as a moral force, particularly in consolation. — John Dickerson, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consolation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for consolation

Noun

Where Bunyan’s music has the reassurance of the most beautiful nursery rhyme, McDoom’s moves with an ebb and flow.

— Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
Polish President Karol Nawrocki is focusing on negotiations with the United States over troop placement in his country, seeking the reassurance of an ally’s presence amid unprecedented instability and opposition from technocrats in Brussels.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of reassurance

Noun

At times jutting outward and at others gliding along the grain of electronic texture, Chen’s voice tracks the form of the instrumentals like a sculptor working in relief.

— James Gui, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
On the county board, Miller led efforts in 2024 to fund a free countywide doula program for high-risk pregnancies and supported the county’s medical debt relief initiative.

— Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of relief

Noun

That recognition shows a comfort in his own skin and his own story that perhaps only comes with age and the benefits of hindsight.

— Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2026
But fast-forward to today, an age of relative safety and comfort for many, and this instinct may no longer be serving us.

— Elissa Strauss, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of comfort

Noun

Both theaters became fixtures in their respective communities, and both brothers helped their audiences find solace during the uncertain days of the pandemic.

— David Morton, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
Those hiding from family this Thanksgiving can take solace in a cornucopia of superb TV offerings.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of solace

Noun

The couple shared a hug and a kiss before Lydia offered her husband some encouragement before the first start of his career.

— Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Eidevall eventually approached Ascanio and spent several minutes speaking with her, offering words of encouragement following the disappointing loss.

— Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of encouragement

Noun

Elsewhere, there’s no sympathy for the complexity of the challenge facing the American and Israeli strategists who instigated the conflict.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2026
When Lee mentions Nathan Spence was meant to attend the program, Jed barely flinches, expressing sympathy for the boy’s confused and grieving mother.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of sympathy

Noun

What feels like a weight of helplessness and sorrow on our shoulders may, with enough space, also reflect our remarkable capacities for strength, steadfastness, and compassion.

— Robert M. Kinast, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026
Her solution was to offer kindness and compassion — not to name an enemy and a fix.

— Kaivan Shroff, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of compassion

Browse Nearby Words

consociational

consolation

consolations

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“Consolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consolation. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of consolation

noun

Example Sentences

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