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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, game(s) console, 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

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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

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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

A pair of deep seats covered in nubby upholstery sit close to this sacred space’s altar — a vinyl-stacked media console holding a vintage receiver and turntable, flanked by two ATC SCM50 loudspeakers.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

Von Hassel made national headlines in 2014 when he exposed a security flaw in his father’s Xbox gaming console at age 5.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Halo has been a hallmark of the Xbox brand since Microsoft's first entry into the console market in 2001, helping establish the firm as a major player in the industry.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

There is no glove box—and thus no place to keep the enormous owner’s manual, except in the concealed stowage under the console, where I would normally put my purse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

“Well, if we are extravagant it is only once,” I said, seeking to console my uneasy mind.

From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya

GTA 6 will only be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles at first, and multiplayer modes won't be available at launch.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Creators will then be able to distribute their games as standalone apps on mobile, PC, and consoles; an offline mode is also planned.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Nintendo 7974 2.87%increase; up pointing triangle reported sharply higher quarterly profit, driven by stronger game software sales and the success of a new “Super Mario” movie, even as sales of Switch 2 consoles declined.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

The Japanese company maintained its annual sales forecast of 16.5 million Switch 2 consoles, despite reporting a decline in quarterly sales to 3.82 million units due to a high base a year earlier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

They were trained to perform a purely mechanistic job “watching meters and adjusting dials” from swivel chairs set before tall steel consoles marked only with numerals.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

“It has been subject to increasingly aggressive change. When I was younger, it was sad for me to witness. I was consoled because Vlore was not the center, but then they started attacking here too.”

From Slate ● Sep. 8, 2026

"The victim should be consoled at this time, not cursed," one of them read.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Some have apologized for the affront and consoled customers, helping them move through the stages of grief to acceptance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

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

Does he remember this long-ago gesture, how he consoled me when Hamlet disdained my gift?

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

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

“I can tell you there is no consoling that family at this point,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026

He walked off with the consoling arm of Shane Lowry’s daughter Iris - who also went close to hitting the putting surface - round his shoulders.

From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2026

He even had consoling words for the Gohannases and Mrs. Adcock and Big Boy; all of them were crying.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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Related Words

• assuage
• soothe

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