as in dismay
formal
a strong feeling of surprise or sudden disappointment that causes confusion
The candidate caused consternation among his supporters by changing positions on a key issue. Much to her parents' consternation, she had decided to not go to college.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 consternation
Despite the consternation, Ace Bailey has arrived in Utah.
—
Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
The grand wedding of the fourth-richest person in the world in Italy's historic city has caused consternation online and in Venice and even forced the couple to change venues last-minute.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 27 June 2025
There was initially some consternation about the Vaccines for Children vote, typically a routine step after the recommendation of a new vaccine.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
The settlement talks have created consternation within the news division.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
The grand wedding of the fourth-richest person in the world in Italy's historic city has caused consternation online and in Venice and even forced the couple to change venues last-minute.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 27 June 2025
There was initially some consternation about the Vaccines for Children vote, typically a routine step after the recommendation of a new vaccine.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
The settlement talks have created consternation within the news division.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consternation
Noun
-
European officials have had to defend the deal against dismay from businesses and member governments at the higher tariff and criticism that the EU gave away too much.—
David McHugh,
Fortune,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Leaders of the international Reform and Progressive Judaism movement expressed their dismay over such a public display of internal discord.—
Andrew Silow-Carroll,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
With job growth slowing and inflation rising, Powell acknowledged the tension between its two mandates.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
-
The dispute underscores the tension between global humanitarian agencies and Israel, which continues its military operations in Gaza City while preparing for a broader offensive.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Dan Kois at Slate pointed out in 2010 that some of the age panic around Cauldron may have been overstated.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Chanel, a striking white, fluffy cat, hadn't even been let out of her carrier yet—but her mere presence was enough to spark panic.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
While the Blackhawks did well trading away Seth Jones for Spencer Knight and a first, plus accumulating some other picks elsewhere, there’s still a sense of unease regarding where this train is going.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Beyond a chance to cultivate your kid’s independence, Dr. Franz noted that short periods of unease can build resilience in children.—
Jana Pollack,
Parents,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Crew members searched the area where the vessel was seen and continued looking for signs of distress, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez
August 19,
Sacbee.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Attorneys leading the cases say the app’s failure to protect sensitive data has caused emotional distress, harassment and potential identity theft for users, and could have catastrophic consequences for the company.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Consternation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consternation. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share