Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

consternation

American  
[kon-ster-ney-shuhn] / ˌkɒn stərˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion; dismay.

    Synonyms:
    horror, fright, panic, fear, terror, alarm, bewilderment
    Antonyms:
    equanimity, composure
consternation British  
/ ˌkɒnstəˈneɪʃən /

noun

  1. a feeling of anxiety, dismay, dread, or confusion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of consternation

First recorded in 1605–15, consternation is from the Latin word consternātiōn- (stem of consternātiō ). See consternate, -ion

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.

But it did little to cool her consternation.

From Los Angeles Times

But the controversy has caused consternation among USC professors past and present.

From Los Angeles Times

Back in Tante Jans’s rooms, we considered this news in consternation.

From Literature

To my consternation, we heard a bell ring.

From Literature

The book, published just a quarter of a century after the events that inspired it, caused consternation because of the way it highlighted the suffering of German civilians.

From BBC

Definitions 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.