disconsolate
Americanadjective
-
without consolation or solace; hopelessly unhappy; inconsolable.
Loss of her pet dog made her disconsolate.
- Synonyms:
- miserable, sorrowful, melancholy, sad, dejected, heartbroken
-
characterized by or causing dejection; cheerless; gloomy.
disconsolate prospects.
- Synonyms:
- miserable, sorrowful, melancholy, sad
adjective
-
sad beyond comfort; inconsolable
-
disappointed; dejected
Synonym Usage
See desolate.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disconsolate
1325–75; Middle English < Medieval Latin disconsōlātus, equivalent to Latin dis- dis- 1 + consōlātus consoled, past participle of consōlārī to console 1; see -ate 1
Explanation
If you are sad and can't be cheered up, you're disconsolate. Why were you disconsolate after scoring a touchdown? Oh...it was for the other team. In addition to meaning "inconsolable," the adjective disconsolate can also mean "dejected." Most people would be disconsolate after being laid off from a job, losing a beloved pet, or missing out on tickets to see a favorite band play live. This word ultimately derives from the Latin verb consolari, meaning "to cheer (someone) up or offer comfort to."
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While disconsolate Arsenal players were slumped over at the end, City convened in a huddle with supporters in the stands wildly celebrating a massive three points.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Marianne is first consumed by her own infatuation, then disconsolate when Willoughby dumps her for an heiress, and finally felled by a fever.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
He’d always been change-averse; when I rearranged the furniture in our Ohio family room when Aaron was about 6, he was disconsolate, wailing for days like King Lear in the storm: “Why is everything different?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2024
This time the finger of blame is directed at goalkeeper Onana, who understandably looked disconsolate as the final whistle sounded on a stormy night on the pitch and overhead in Istanbul.
From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2023
They ran for the stairs, bowling over the disconsolate Senses Taker, ledger, ink bottle, eyeshade, and all, as they went.
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
