disconsolate
Americanadjective
-
without consolation or solace; hopelessly unhappy; inconsolable.
Loss of her pet dog made her disconsolate.
- Synonyms:
- miserable, sorrowful, melancholy, sad, dejected, heartbroken
-
characterized by or causing dejection; cheerless; gloomy.
disconsolate prospects.
- Synonyms:
- miserable, sorrowful, melancholy, sad
adjective
-
sad beyond comfort; inconsolable
-
disappointed; dejected
Synonym Usage
See desolate.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disconsolate
1325–75; Middle English < Medieval Latin disconsōlātus, equivalent to Latin dis- dis- 1 + consōlātus consoled, past participle of consōlārī to console 1; see -ate 1
Explanation
If you are sad and can't be cheered up, you're disconsolate. Why were you disconsolate after scoring a touchdown? Oh...it was for the other team. In addition to meaning "inconsolable," the adjective disconsolate can also mean "dejected." Most people would be disconsolate after being laid off from a job, losing a beloved pet, or missing out on tickets to see a favorite band play live. This word ultimately derives from the Latin verb consolari, meaning "to cheer (someone) up or offer comfort to."
Vocabulary lists containing disconsolate
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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.
While disconsolate Arsenal players were slumped over at the end, City convened in a huddle with supporters in the stands wildly celebrating a massive three points.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
The head coach cut a disconsolate figure at full-time.
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2025
Marianne is first consumed by her own infatuation, then disconsolate when Willoughby dumps her for an heiress, and finally felled by a fever.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
Cronin looks pale and disconsolate, but he showed up for the postgame rehash and answered every question and accepted full responsibility.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2024
The interior voice nagging me not to be a fool—to save my skin and take off my skis and walk down, camouflaged by the scrub pines bordering the slope—fled like a disconsolate mosquito.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
Definitions 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.
