condolence
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of condolence
Explanation
A condolence is an expression of sympathy and sorrow to someone who has suffered a loss, like the letter of condolence you send to a faraway friend who has lost a loved one. The noun condolence comes from the Late Latin word condole, meaning “to suffer together.” When you offer your condolences to someone who has suffered a loss, you are saying that you share their sadness, that you are there to support and help them. Don't confuse condolence with consolation, which is an attempt to make the person feel better.
Vocabulary lists containing condolence
Esperanza Rising
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Bush's Address on 9/11
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Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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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.
A small but poignant item: the condolence card sent to Carrie by Samantha Jones, her estranged friend played by Kim Cattrall, who made a brief but impactful appearance in the reboot.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
The condolence video was released after an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia airport in New York shortly after landing, killing Forest and another pilot, Mackenzie Gunther.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
The CEO of Air Canada has apologised after he was criticised for not speaking French in a condolence video message he released after a collision at LaGuardia airport that killed two pilots.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
Authorities released Taherkhani's body to his family only after they were compelled to pay the equivalent of 18,000 euros and remove condolence banners.
From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026
I informed the major that I intended to write Bram a condolence letter, and he responded that I could do so.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
