consolation

American  

[kon-suh-lay-shuhn] / ˌkɒn səˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

• consolations
  plural

1. 

   the act of consoling; comfort; solace.

   Synonyms:

   cheer, support, help, succor, relief

2. the state of being consoled.

3. someone or something that consoles.

   His faith was a consolation during his troubles. Her daughters are a consolation to her.

4. Sports. a game, match, or race for tournament entrants eliminated before the final round, as a basketball game between the losing semifinalists.

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consolation British  

/ ˌkɒnsəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of consoling or state of being consoled; solace

2. a person or thing that is a source of comfort in a time of suffering, grief, disappointment, etc

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• consolatory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consolations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of consolation

1325–75; Middle English consolacioun (< Anglo-French ) < Latin consōlātiōn- (stem of consōlātiō ), equivalent to consōlāt ( us ), past participle of consōlārī ( con- con- + sōlā-, stem of sōlārī to comfort, + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion; see solace

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Explanation

Consolation is something that makes someone feel better after they're disappointed or sad. This is a word for things that try to console someone. A consolation prize isn't as good as first prize, but it's better than nothing. A hug is little consolation when you've had your heart broken. You give someone consolation when try to cheer them up. Consolation can be the act of making someone feel better, like trying to make them laugh, but it can also be something that makes someone happy, like a plate of warm cookies.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

consolation consolations

“I’m more in the business of winning hockey games. I don’t think there’s any consolation in a 2-1 loss,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Adjusted for inflation, truckers aren’t yet filling up at 2022 levels, but that is small consolation: Diesel prices have soared 56% since the war began and $2.14 a gallon from a year ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

It could have been even worse had the normally reliable Igor Thiago not struck the post with a penalty, but that was no consolation for Spurs or De Zerbi on what was a chastening day.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

U.S. natural gas futures settled lower with little consolation from the smallest inventory build of the season to date.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Thank Goodness it will always be a consolation to me to know that I instantly went out in a pouring rain and bought the things.”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Earl then bagged yet another Saracens score in between Sale consolations from O'Flaherty and Opoku-Fordjour to cap a historic afternoon for Mark McCall's men.

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026

In her second book, Hekker noted some consolations for first wives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

Let's give the biblical authors credit for taking the sublimity of our loss straight up instead of chasing false consolations.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2024

Are its consolations in the resolution, or the questions it provokes?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2022

“Too awful,” she kept repeating, and all Bernard’s consolations were in vain.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

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Related Words

• comfort
• compassion
• encouragement
• pity
• solace
• succor
• sympathy

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