consolation

American  

[kon-suh-ley-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.

---

consolation British  

/ kənˈsɒlətərɪ, ˌkɒnsəˈleɪʃən, -trɪ /

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• consolatory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consolations
  plural

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

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

England is playing in the consolation final for the second time in three World Cups; it lost to Belgium 2-1 in 2018.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

It will be zero consolation but Deschamps, in charge since 2012, set a record in Dallas for most World Cup games managed - 26.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

If it’s any consolation to Knicks fans, though, MSG Sports stock isn’t alone.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

Michael Lowry got a consolation score, but Montpellier were left to celebrate as they lifted the Challenge Cup for a third time as Arthur Vincent put icing on the cake.

From BBC ● May 22, 2026

I’m frequently in need of consolation, I often feel weak, and more often than not, I fail to meet expectations.

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

Throughout the book she displays the fundamental bewilderment of the secular postmodernist contending with huge life events while cut off from the consolations of any one tradition.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

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

And memory — what consolations can it offer when we know it doesn’t last?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2023

Saints improved late on as James Ramm and Matt Proctor scored consolations.

From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2022

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

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Related Words

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