consolation

American  

[kon-suh-ley-shuhn] / ˌkɒn səˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of consoling; console; comfort; solace.

   Synonyms:

   cheer, support, help, succor, relief

2. the state of being consoled. console.

3. someone or something that consoles: console.

   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

• consolatory adjective

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; solace

Example Sentences

Herzog's tightly policed four day visit to Australia this week was meant to offer consolation to the country's Jewish community following December's mass shooting on Bondi beach that killed 15 people.

From Barron's

Finally, Mr. Muhly’s conclusion, a gorgeous early-music-infused quartet for Death, offers consolation in an ebb and flow that feels like breathing.

From The Wall Street Journal

The pools are heated, but that was little consolation when I got out of one pool on Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal

The only consolation was that she was no longer wearing Leanna North’s likeness.

From Literature

Meanwhile, a hockey federation boss offered Russians some consolation: watching the Games was still better than talking to an AI chatbot.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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