solace
Americannoun
-
comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or trouble; alleviation of distress or discomfort.
-
something that gives comfort, consolation, or relief.
The minister's visit was the dying man's only solace.
verb (used with object)
-
to comfort, console, or cheer (a person, oneself, the heart, etc.).
-
to alleviate or relieve (sorrow, distress, etc.).
noun
-
comfort in misery, disappointment, etc
-
something that gives comfort or consolation
verb
-
to give comfort or cheer to (a person) in time of sorrow, distress, etc
-
to alleviate (sorrow, misery, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
solacesimple
-
solacessimple
-
have solacedperfect
-
has solacedperfect
-
am solacingprogressive
-
are solacingprogressive
-
is solacingprogressive
-
have been solacingperfect progressive
-
has been solacingperfect progressive
Past
-
solacedsimple
-
had solacedperfect
-
was solacingprogressive
-
were solacingprogressive
-
had been solacingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of solace
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English solas, from Old French, from Latin sōlācium, equivalent to sōl (ārī) “to comfort” + -āc- adjective suffix + -ium -ium
Explanation
If something eases your disappointment or grief, consider it a solace. If you're sad, you might find solace in music or in talking to your friends. It is no surprise that consolation and solace are similar in meaning as they share a root in the Latin verb sōlārī, "to comfort." In fact, solace and consolation are synonyms meaning "relief from grief or disappointment." When you go to sleepaway camp, your parents will miss you, but they'll find solace in knowing that you are having fun.
Vocabulary lists containing solace
The Giver
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Spelling Bee for Fun
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
NAEP Test Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The rates market took some solace in that reading not coming in any worse than feared, said Garrett Melson, portfolio strategist with Natixis Investment Managers Solutions.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026
Releasing in Spring 2020, the novel became a pandemic hit, providing both escape and solace from the world’s harsh uncertainty.
From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026
Heathcliff is unable to find solace in either mansion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
It could provide solace if it comes in weaker than expected, or be a scourge if it continues to heat up.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
The fate of the universe in either cosmology may seem a little depressing, but we may take solace in the time scales involved.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
