counseling 1 of 3

noun

variants or counselling
Definition of counselingnext
as in reassurance

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counseling

2 of 3

adjective

variants or counselling
as in consulting

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counseling

3 of 3

verb

variants or counselling
present participle of counsel
1
as in conferring
to exchange viewpoints or seek advice for the purpose of finding a solution to a problem concerned parents counseling about the problem of substance abuse in their community

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2
as in guiding
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed every year the admissions officer counsels thousands of students about the process of applying to college

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3
as in advising
to give advice to perhaps a psychologist would be better qualified to counsel you

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4
as in suggesting
to put (something) forward as one's choice for a wise or proper course of action I would counsel caution and deliberation in this sensitive matter

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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 counseling
Noun
If a teen continues to struggle, parents can seek additional support from a pediatrician, psychologist, counselor or school counseling services. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 Seum organizes community meetings for people living with HIV, making sure their needs are met, and offers counseling, especially to young people. — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
While Kenneth Law is set to admit to 14 charges of aiding or counseling suicide, Canadian prosecutors are withdrawing second degree murder charges, multiple sources have confirmed, causing anger among devastated families. — CBS News, 27 May 2026 But the unit commander was required to seek input from medical and religious representatives, while also counseling the service member on the potential impact on their ability to deploy. — ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for counseling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counseling
  1. reassurance
  2. consulting
  3. guiding
  4. advising
  5. suggesting
  6. consolation
  7. advisory
  8. coaching
Noun
  • The actor's limited screen time, primarily relegated to head-nodding and offering reassurance to Odysseus, has sparked memes on social media, including a Kratos spoof of her character.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The question arrives with an obvious right answer attached, usually in a moment already loaded with feeling, and people are generally motivated to give reassurance when reassurance is being requested.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of reassurance
Adjective
  • McKinsey could also slash as many as 2,000 non-consulting staff in one of its biggest round of layoffs ever, Bloomberg reported last month, citing unnamed sources close to the matter.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023
  • The report also found McKinsey officials used their contract with the government to drum up even more consulting work with private companies.
    — Khristopher J. Brooks, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2022
Definition of consulting
Verb
  • Sharp has traditionally paid its employees to attend an all-hands recognition event for those deemed by their peers to best meet the organization’s guiding principles.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • After the 2008 financial crisis, the Fed began more deliberately guiding the market to near certainty on the trajectory of rates heading into its meetings.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of guiding
Verb
  • Leave her running the finance function, advising the CEO, doing the job the way it's done today.
    — Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The company is advising drivers to schedule gate appointments during off-peak windows.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of advising
Verb
  • The reading, which will detail inflation in July, arrives days after government data showed unexpected job losses last month, suggesting strain on the economy as a months-long bout of elevated price hikes weighed on shoppers.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • By suggesting that Black women would willingly place their own children in mortal danger for profit, such narratives provided yet another means of humiliating, degrading and dehumanizing African Americans.
    — The Conversation, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggesting
Noun
  • Now, the winner of each bracket final Saturday (Purple and Orange) will advance to the championship Sunday, while the losing teams will play in a consolation game.
    — Steve Gorches, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The poetry of this movie, in short, is in Dafoe, who gives his finest performance in years—a long trek from bliss to despair to disillusionment, and finally to the odd contentment and consolation that disillusionment often brings.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of consolation
Adjective
  • Beijing has tried to make its courts and arbitration bodies more attractive, creating specialized commercial courts and inviting foreign experts to participate in advisory roles in cross-border disputes.
    — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
  • White, the former Illinois secretary of state, is on the Snowballs’ advisory board, and Emmanuel McGhee, the tumbling team’s head coach, is also a coach for the Snowballs.
    — Chris Placek, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of advisory
Verb
  • At least the nutritionist coaching me on my diet is conciliatory.
    — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2026
  • After a disastrous stint in Carolina and a one-year return to coaching as Stanford’s interim coach in 2025, Frank Reich arrived with a fresh perspective as the Jets’ offensive coordinator.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of coaching

Browse Nearby Words

counselee
counseling
counselor
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Cite this Entry

“Counseling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counseling. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on counseling

Nglish: Translation of counseling for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about counseling

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