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  

/ ˌkɒnsəˈleɪʃən /

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

One possible consolation for people who didn’t get superlow mortgage rates: the opportunity to invest in higher-yielding mortgage bonds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

While energy prices drove most of the monthly surge, that’s no consolation to consumers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

While her second appearance in September's Solheim Cup match against Europe now seems assured, for the 25-year-old it will come as scant consolation.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

And, with the world watching, it was Lamine Yamal who offered the great Argentina icon consolation before they fell into each other's arms.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

The theory of relativity does allow one consolation.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

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

Scotland rallied and scored some consolations, not that it mattered.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2023

And memory — what consolations can it offer when we know it doesn’t last?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2023

Without the support of old certainties and consolations, almost mechanically, he assumes the procedures and doctrines of the classroom.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• comfort
• compassion
• encouragement
• pity
• solace
• succor
• sympathy