Synonyms

consoling

American

[kuhn-soh-ling] / kənˈsoʊ lɪŋ /

adjective

alleviating or lessening grief, sorrow, or disappointment; giving comfort.

He gave his companion a consoling clap on the shoulder.
The consoling power of the book arises not so much from the humor as from the detail with which the author renders his world.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of consoling

consol(e) ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Vocabulary lists containing consoling

Umberto Eco (1932-2016) Tribute List

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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.

Career coach Gina Riley has been impersonated several times and sometimes finds herself consoling people who falsely believed she contacted them with a golden opportunity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

A couple of years ago, Arlo Parks found herself in a nightclub, consoling a complete stranger.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

He claimed that he began consoling a crying Minaj, only for her to start yelling at him.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 1, 2025

This final turn is less consoling or condemnatory than darkly revealing about our assumptions about Michaela, who's portrayed as a controlling fury for most of the story.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2025

"That drum is from a magic store," she said, consoling me.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023