console

¹ American  

[kuhn-sohl] / kənˈsoʊl /

verb (used with object)

consoles, present (3rd person singular) consoled, past participle, past consoling present participle

1. to alleviate or lessen the grief, sorrow, or disappointment of; give solace or comfort.

   Even his children could not console him when his wife died.

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console ² American  

[kon-sohl] / ˈkɒn soʊl /

noun

consoles plural

1. Also called video game console.  Also called game(s) console,.  Also called gaming console,.  a computer system specially made for playing video games by connecting it to a television or other display for video and sound.

2. the control or monitoring unit of a computer, containing the keyboard or keys, switches, etc.

3. a television, phonograph, or radio cabinet designed to stand on the floor rather than on a table or shelf.

4. a desklike structure containing the keyboards, pedals, etc., by means of which an organ is played.

5. a small cabinet standing on the floor and having doors.

6. console table.

7. the control unit of a mechanical, electrical, or electronic system.

   the console that controls a theater's lighting system.

8. Architecture. an ornamental corbel or bracket, especially one high in relation to its projection.

9. Automotive. a tray or container typically divided into compartments, mounted between bucket seats, and used for storing small items.

10. Nautical. a unit on a vessel containing steering apparatus, systems monitoring equipment, etc..

    a bridge console, an engine-room console.

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console ¹ British  

/ ˈkɒnsəʊl /

noun

1. an ornamental bracket, esp one used to support a wall fixture, bust, etc

2. the part of an organ comprising the manuals, pedals, stops, etc

3. a unit on which the controls of an electronic system are mounted

4. same as games console

5. a cabinet for a television, gramophone, etc, designed to stand on the floor

6. See console table

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console ² British  

/ kənˈsəʊl /

verb

1. to serve as a source of comfort to (someone) in disappointment, loss, sadness, etc

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Synonym Usage

See comfort.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• consoler
  noun
• consolable
  adjective
• inconsolable
  adjective
• unconsolable
  adjective
• unconsoled
  adjective
• consolingly
  adverb
• unconsolably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• consoles
  plural

Participles

• consoling
  present
• consoled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• console
  simple
• consoles
  simple
• have consoled
  perfect
• has consoled
  perfect
• am consoling
  progressive
• are consoling
  progressive
• is consoling
  progressive
• have been consoling
  perfect progressive
• has been consoling
  perfect progressive

Past

• consoled
  simple
• had consoled
  perfect
• was consoling
  progressive
• were consoling
  progressive
• had been consoling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will console
  simple
• will have consoled
  perfect
• will be consoling
  progressive
• will have been consoling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of console¹

First recorded in 1685–95; either from French consoler or directly from Latin consōlārī, equivalent to con- con- + sōlārī “to soothe” ( see solace); perhaps akin to Old English sǣl “happiness” ( see seely)

Origin of console²

First recorded in 1700–10; from French; Middle French consolle “bracket, support,” apparently shortening of consolateur (attested in Middle French with same sense), literally, “one who consoles” (from Late Latin consōlātor; see console ¹ , -ator ), perhaps because such supports served as rests in choir stalls, etc.; cf. misericord

Explanation

Perhaps you avoid babysitting your baby brother because you're worried that if he starts to cry, you won’t be able to console him or make him feel better. Or maybe you just hate changing diapers. You usually try to console someone by providing encouragement and offering solace. Others try to console themselves with tubs of ice cream. From the Latin word consolari, meaning “to comfort,” the noun console can also describe a central control panel. In an automobile, the controls for both the radio and air-conditioning are in the same center console.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

console consoles consoled consoling

The popular series started out on Nintendo's portable Game Boy console in 1996, and has found modern success on people's phones.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

There’s likewise an ongoing sales cap of one drive per console that’s been in effect since March 2025—perhaps a move to free up manufacturing space for a PS6-compatible drive.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

“Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027,” the company shared in a June press release.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

Microsoft has raised prices for its Xbox console due to the worldwide squeeze on memory chips caused by artificial intelligence industry demand, which has also affected competitors Sony and Nintendo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Maybe his anger and sadness were so great that he feared breaking down if he tried to console me.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

Judith, a Puerto Rican girl from a poor but devoted family, consoles her exhausted teacher one day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Its most recent consoles have sold only a quarter of what the Xbox 360 did.

From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026

Sony and Nintendo have also raised the prices of their game consoles, and Apple announced substantial increases for its Macs and iPads.

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

Just last month, Microsoft increased the price of its Xbox consoles.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

“It could be worse,” a genial man named Paco consoles her.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Cast members consoled him, including a kiss on the cheek from Mikey Day that sent Gosling into a spontaneous giggle attack.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2026

They actively consoled him, cast him as a victim and in some cases offered advice on how to rehabilitate his image.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

June Lockhart, the perennial TV mom who consoled her son Timmy and his faithful pet collie in ‘Lassie’ and explained the galaxy to her children in ‘Lost in Space,’ has died.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2025

The duchess will also be remembered as a familiar figure at the Wimbledon tennis championships, where she handed over trophies - and consoled those who had lost, including a tearful Jana Novotna in 1993.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2025

Momma consoled her with, “Well, we got to keep our mind on the words of the Book. It say, ‘The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.’

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Days after Kirk’s death, Marx posted photos of himself consoling Kirk’s widow, Erika; he announced he was considering a run for governor at a memorial service for Kirk.

From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026

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

Viewers have been circulating clips of Wilson reaching for Batula’s hands in one scene and consoling her in the bathroom as she cried in another.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

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

From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2026

And he reminded her of how quickly she was adapting, his tone always calm, always consoling.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• assuage
• soothe