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.

Soprano Hilary Cronin was a dazzling, lyrical Iole, her precisely calibrated da capo arias capturing the princess’s serene acceptance of her lot and her consoling, thoughtful presence—the antithesis of the disturbed Dejanira.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

"As far as I remember the defendant was upset and a lot of people were giving him hugs and consoling him."

From BBC • Mar. 4, 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

She leaned forward to touch my hand in a consoling way.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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