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.
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Recent Examples of consternation
The challenges that now surround the operation in Iran — and its domestic ramifications — are causing at least some degree of consternation even among Republicans.
—
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2026
Every two years, elite athletes compete in the Olympics, biennial plants — like carrots and onions — produce seeds and people across America look on with consternation and mounting impatience as California counts its election ballots.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
That shared natural resource is a big reason Qatar has long maintained closer relations with Iran than its neighbors—to their consternation.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Other artists express consternation, not enthusiasm, about the potential of this new technology to upend the craft of making music and to diminish — or even eliminate — the need for human creativity and interaction.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2026
Every two years, elite athletes compete in the Olympics, biennial plants — like carrots and onions — produce seeds and people across America look on with consternation and mounting impatience as California counts its election ballots.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
That shared natural resource is a big reason Qatar has long maintained closer relations with Iran than its neighbors—to their consternation.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Other artists express consternation, not enthusiasm, about the potential of this new technology to upend the craft of making music and to diminish — or even eliminate — the need for human creativity and interaction.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consternation
Noun
-
Perhaps the most volatile split ripped the aforementioned Cassie and Maddy apart, after the former struck up a relationship with Maddy's ex, Nate (Jacob Elordi), much to the latter's dismay.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
-
To his dismay, Frederik learned this week that FIFA had changed the seating map at Arrowhead.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
General manager Ohemaa Nyanin didn’t offer much to bridge that gap, sidestepping the why behind the move in the moments after the draft and leaving the room to sit in the tension of it all.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
As tensions with the Soviet Union escalate, Pathfinder is armed with ballistic missiles.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For almost a century, since the dawn of mass screen entertainment, society has passed through waves of panic over media’s effects on children, which have often coincided with panics over the effects of various kinds of mothering.—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Last January, a three-day raid in Kern County where undocumented laborers were arrested set off panic in the Central Valley and other farming regions with large immigrant workforces.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet nothing could stop the speculation and growing unease about the future of LIV Golf.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
-
City’s results have begun to sow unease among Arsenal fans.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The lawsuit includes claims for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In 2025, the hospital treated 257 children with puberty blockers and 549 with hormonal therapy for gender dysphoria, which is distress at the gap between a person’s sense of their gender and the way the world sees them.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Consternation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consternation. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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