consternation
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of consternation
First recorded in 1605–15, consternation is from the Latin word consternātiōn- (stem of consternātiō ). See consternate, -ion
Explanation
Consternation is a noun that can stop you in your tracks because it means "a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion; dismay." If you have a sense of consternation you have become afraid, disoriented, or completely befuddled. It comes from the Latin roots con- and -sternare, which means "spread out." Picture all of your thoughts strewn about, nothing makes sense and you might experience a state of consternation. Like the nightmare about the class you forgot to go to in high school and now you have to take the final exam!
Vocabulary lists containing consternation
"Harrison Bergeron"
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The Call of the Wild
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Frankenstein
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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.
Lately, there has been consternation around reports of financial metrics from leading private AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Earlier this year, planes in Dubai and in Tel Aviv were damaged on the tarmac, triggering consternation among insurers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
At a community meeting I attended this week, the possible loss of a Whole Foods tenant caused considerable consternation.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
Several leading track and field athletes competing at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest last weekend expressed their consternation at Sweeney's commercial, saying it was a misleading representation of how women in sport looked.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Milo sniffed in consternation twice, like a shaggy brown hare.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
