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.

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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

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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 will also try to deny Australia a consolation bronze, before teams transform the Hydro from a netball court back to a gig venue for the closing ceremony on Sunday night.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

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

Cheaper chicken is little consolation to David Manhire, who owns Summer Daze Catering in Basking Ridge, N.J., about an hour outside New York City.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

Abigail decided to write a letter of consolation, explaining that “reasons of various kinds witheld my pen, until the powerful feelings of my heart, have burst through the restraint.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Earl then bagged yet another Saracens score in between Sale consolations from O'Flaherty and Opoku-Fordjour to cap a historic afternoon for Mark McCall's men.

From BBC ● Apr. 19, 2026

In her second book, Hekker noted some consolations for first wives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

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

Are its consolations in the resolution, or the questions it provokes?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 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