consult
Americanverb (used with object)
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consults,
present (3rd person singular)
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consulted,
past participle, past
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consulting
present participle
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to seek advice or information from; ask guidance from.
Consult your lawyer before signing the contract.
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to refer to for information.
Consult your dictionary for the spelling of the word.
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to have regard for (a person's interest, convenience, etc.) in making plans.
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Obsolete. to meditate, plan, or contrive.
verb (used without object)
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consults,
present (3rd person singular)
-
consulted,
past participle, past
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consulting
present participle
-
to consider or deliberate; take counsel; confer (usually followed bywith ).
He consulted with his doctor.
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to give professional or expert advice; serve as consultant.
noun
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a consultation.
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Archaic. a secret meeting, especially one for seditious purposes.
verb
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to ask advice from (someone); confer with (someone)
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(tr) to refer to for information
to consult a map
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(tr) to have regard for (a person's feelings, interests, etc) in making decisions or plans; consider
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(intr) to make oneself available to give professional advice, esp at scheduled times and for a fee
Synonym Usage
Consult, confer imply talking over a situation or a subject with someone to decide points in doubt. To consult is to seek from a presumably qualified person or source advice, opinion, etc.: to consult an authority. To confer is to exchange views: The partners conferred concerning their business.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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consultsimple
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consultssimple
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have consultedperfect
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has consultedperfect
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am consultingprogressive
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are consultingprogressive
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is consultingprogressive
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have been consultingperfect progressive
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has been consultingperfect progressive
Past
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consultedsimple
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had consultedperfect
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was consultingprogressive
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were consultingprogressive
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had been consultingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of consult
First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French consulter, from Latin consultāre “to deliberate,” literally, “to advise repeatedly,” from consulere “to advise, consider, seek advice from”; cf. consul
Explanation
To consult is to give or get help or advice. When you don't know the meaning of a word, you consult a dictionary. That's why you're here, right? People making a big decision will usually consult their family and friends. To consult can also mean a type of professional advice: a consultant is a freelance worker paid to help a business out with something. Consulting is a complicated word that can mean to give or receive advice. When in doubt, find someone you trust to consult.
Vocabulary lists containing consult
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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.
See Examples For:
Instead of smelling the river, we consult an environmental report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Those with sensitive gastrointestinal systems should consult a doctor as it could cause gas, bloating and other GI discomfort.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
"It's important that allies continue to consult, think about how we might respond, and make sure that we message clearly and concisely to the Russians where our red lines are," he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Entry is free, but anyone wanting to consult the collections has to register and book an appointment in advance because of the nature of the material.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
“We will take six months to consult with the relevant authorities, as is procedure, and let you know what is decided.”
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
Eric Potma, a UC Irvine chemistry professor who consults for the company, told Wired this week that its technology is worth exploring despite significant technical challenges.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
She has held diverse strategic roles at the intersection of go-to-market, clinical and operations in digital health, currently consults for venture-capital and early-stage digital health companies, and writes for the Massively Better Healthcare blog.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
The 67-year-old breast cancer survivor, who consults on sustainable textiles and runs a small farmers market, would never have her own property sprayed with pesticides, but admits to having envied neighbors who did.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Indeed, he consults regularly with Trump on major cases, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
I consider the spies I have seen, like the parsnip-nosed and hunched figure Madoc consults with sometimes, or a shadowy, gray-shrouded figure whose face I’ve never managed to spot.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Both stressed that discussions did not go beyond an early phase and it's not known whether Sir Keir himself was consulted.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Although I had already consulted with three orthopedic surgeons, Drew, who married me despite my nosedive in the parking lot, wanted me to see Dr. Bert Mandelbaum at Cedars-Sinai.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
They were never notified, never consulted, never told they had anything to lose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
He spent some evenings going over it, then consulted Japanese patent engineer Satoshi Tomokiyo, who maintains an online list of unsolved ciphers, to verify it.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Lawyers consulted with clients and family members scattered around the chaotic courtroom.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
“We’ve already committed not to change our terms without consulting publishers and other stakeholders,” the spokesperson said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Robert Half’s results point to improving staffing demand, while compliance consulting offers another source of growth.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
She was pressed several more times on the issue, saying the government was consulting on the proposals and would "will come out with the measures that we take forward".
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Tronieri disclosed receiving an investigator-initiated grant from Novo Nordisk on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania, along with consulting fees from Currax Pharmaceuticals, LLC.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
“And if there is, we shouldn’t be consulting it,” says Shauna.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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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.
