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console

¹ American  

[kuhn-sohl] / kənˈsoʊl /

verb (used with object)

• consoles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• consoled,
  past participle,  past
• consoling
  present participle

1. 

   to alleviate or lessen the grief, sorrow, or disappointment of; give solace or comfort.

   Even his children could not console him when his wife died.

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console ² American  

[kon-sohl] / ˈkɒn soʊl /

noun

• consoles
  plural

1. Also called video game console, game(s) console, gaming console. a computer system specially made for playing video games by connecting it to a television or other display for video and sound.

2. the control or monitoring unit of a computer, containing the keyboard or keys, switches, etc.

3. a television, phonograph, or radio cabinet designed to stand on the floor rather than on a table or shelf.

4. a desklike structure containing the keyboards, pedals, etc., by means of which an organ is played.

5. a small cabinet standing on the floor and having doors.

6. console table.

7. the control unit of a mechanical, electrical, or electronic system.

   the console that controls a theater's lighting system.

8. Architecture. an ornamental corbel or bracket, especially one high in relation to its projection.

9. Automotive. a tray or container typically divided into compartments, mounted between bucket seats, and used for storing small items.

10. Nautical. a unit on a vessel containing steering apparatus, systems monitoring equipment, etc..

    a bridge console, an engine-room console.

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console ¹ British  

/ ˈkɒnsəʊl /

noun

1. an ornamental bracket, esp one used to support a wall fixture, bust, etc

2. the part of an organ comprising the manuals, pedals, stops, etc

3. a unit on which the controls of an electronic system are mounted

4. same as games console

5. a cabinet for a television, gramophone, etc, designed to stand on the floor

6. See console table

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console ² British  

/ kənˈsəʊl /

verb

1. to serve as a source of comfort to (someone) in disappointment, loss, sadness, etc

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Synonym Usage

See comfort.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• consoler
  noun
• consolable
  adjective
• inconsolable
  adjective
• unconsolable
  adjective
• unconsoled
  adjective
• consolingly
  adverb
• unconsolably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consoles
  plural

Participles

• consoling
  present
• consoled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• console
  simple
• consoles
  simple
• have consoled
  perfect
• has consoled
  perfect
• am consoling
  progressive
• are consoling
  progressive
• is consoling
  progressive
• have been consoling
  perfect progressive
• has been consoling
  perfect progressive

Past

• consoled
  simple
• had consoled
  perfect
• was consoling
  progressive
• were consoling
  progressive
• had been consoling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will console
  simple
• will have consoled
  perfect
• will be consoling
  progressive
• will have been consoling
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of console¹

First recorded in 1685–95; either from French consoler or directly from Latin consōlārī, equivalent to con- con- + sōlārī “to soothe” ( see solace); perhaps akin to Old English sǣl “happiness” ( see seely)

Origin of console²

First recorded in 1700–10; from French; Middle French consolle “bracket, support,” apparently shortening of consolateur (attested in Middle French with same sense), literally, “one who consoles” (from Late Latin consōlātor; see console ¹ , -ator ), perhaps because such supports served as rests in choir stalls, etc.; cf. misericord

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Explanation

Perhaps you avoid babysitting your baby brother because you're worried that if he starts to cry, you won’t be able to console him or make him feel better. Or maybe you just hate changing diapers. You usually try to console someone by providing encouragement and offering solace. Others try to console themselves with tubs of ice cream. From the Latin word consolari, meaning “to comfort,” the noun console can also describe a central control panel. In an automobile, the controls for both the radio and air-conditioning are in the same center console.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

console consoles consoled consoling

Nintendo 7974 6.31%increase; up pointing triangle maintained its Switch 2 console sales, revenue and net profit forecasts for the year ending March 2027.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

A pair of deep seats covered in nubby upholstery sit close to this sacred space’s altar — a vinyl-stacked media console holding a vintage receiver and turntable, flanked by two ATC SCM50 loudspeakers.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

But for the first time in 16 years, "Call of Duty" will be available on a Nintendo console: the Switch 2, which is more powerful than its predecessor.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

He says the series "carries the banner" for the console and gives people a "reason to be in the Xbox ecosystem" - something he says has been the company's mission since day one.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Leans across the center console to ask, “Is something wrong?”

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

The resulting shortage has pushed up prices for laptops, gaming consoles and smartphones -- a squeeze that risks weighing on consumer demand for the devices that use Intel's chips.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

A row of industrial blue historic launch consoles that were once used by NASA’s launch control at Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida were given to the Oschin to display near Endeavour.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Previous CEO Phil Spencer had begun to take the division in a new direction, releasing some of its most popular games on rival consoles for the first time.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Creators will then be able to distribute their games as standalone apps on mobile, PC, and consoles; an offline mode is also planned.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

A vintage RCA television stood in the center of the room, hooked up to a Betamax VCR, a LaserDisc player, and several vintage videogame consoles.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

“It has been subject to increasingly aggressive change. When I was younger, it was sad for me to witness. I was consoled because Vlore was not the center, but then they started attacking here too.”

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

Modric, who was making his 23rd World Cup appearance, was consoled by Ronaldo, his former Real Madrid team-mate, after the final whistle.

From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026

"What a horrible night for the young keeper. The Atleti fans actually gave him sympathetic applause but not sure how he can be consoled after that."

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026

Cast members consoled him, including a kiss on the cheek from Mikey Day that sent Gosling into a spontaneous giggle attack.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2026

José Arcadio Buendía, who had still not been consoled for the failure of his magnets, conceived the idea of using that invention as a weapon of war.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

It finds the singer consoling a friend who has just been through a break-up.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Days after Kirk’s death, Marx posted photos of himself consoling Kirk’s widow, Erika; he announced he was considering a run for governor at a memorial service for Kirk.

From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026

Viewers have been circulating clips of Wilson reaching for Batula’s hands in one scene and consoling her in the bathroom as she cried in another.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

Chomsky, now 97, was hardly the only famous associate who was privately consoling Epstein or giving him advice to rehabilitate his public image.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

She got to be so sincere in the deception that she ended up by consoling herself with her own lies.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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Related Words

• assuage
• soothe

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