consternation

noun

Definition of consternationnext
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 Many Moves, Many Injuries New York did not sign slugger Pete Alonso and ace closer Edwin Diaz last winter, much to the consternation of many fans. — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 But after 90-plus minutes against Cape Verde on Sunday night at Hard Rock Stadium, the smiles turned to seething expressions and consternation. — Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026 Maple Leafs have the top pick Missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade caused plenty of consternation in Toronto, where there are questions about captain Auston Matthews and his long-term future. — Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 With how macho the mobsters all are, this causes a ton of consternation, both within the family and across the river in New York, especially considering Vito is married to Phil's cousin. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for consternation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consternation
  1. dismay
  2. tension
  3. panic
  4. unease
  5. distress
Noun
  • Colonists down south, especially fierce New England Protestants who took a dim view of Catholicism, viewed this act – and their new fellow imperial subjects – with dismay and considerable suspicion.
    — Sarah M.S. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • The decision to wean, much to the dismay of many, can come from either party.
    — Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Definition of dismay
Noun
  • Its shuttering, alongside other long-standing landmarks like Taix restaurant, underscores Echo Park’s growing tension between new development and preserving neighborhood character.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Now, with countries around the world focusing on building sovereign satellite networks, amid geopolitical tensions, a UAE company is working to mass manufacture commercial satellites.
    — Amy Gunia, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • Messaging is also critical, given the impact of panic-buying.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • By then, CrowdStrike had fallen to the $90s, as panic had repeatedly ensued.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Definition of panic
Noun
  • To convey the family’s internal unease, Cárdenas landed on a number of devices that were subtle but significant in terms of changing the optics of the series.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 July 2026
  • Declassified British documents from the 1960s revealed government unease over the presence of the micronation, as well as eventually shelved plans to bomb it.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026
Definition of unease
Noun
  • Watch closely for signs of heat distress in yourself and others, including your neighbors and the elderly, Delaney said.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Never upside down — The flag should never be displayed upside down except as a signal of distress.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of distress

Browse Nearby Words

constellations
consternation
constituent
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Consternation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consternation. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on consternation

Nglish: Translation of consternation for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All