consult

1 of 2

verb

con·​sult kən-ˈsəlt 

consulted; consulting; consults

transitive verb

1

: to have regard to : consider

"Adams, consult your own safety, and don't remain here … "

—Charles Dickens

2

a

: to ask the advice or opinion of

consult a doctor

consult a lawyer

b

: to refer to

consult a dictionary

intransitive verb

1

: to consult an individual

consulted with experts on the matter

2

: to deliberate together : confer

… the three powers would consult on how to ameliorate the internal political conflict …

—W. S. Vucinich

3

: to serve as a consultant

consulter noun

consult

2 of 2

noun

con·​sult kən-ˈsəlt  ˈkän-ˌsəlt 

: consultation

Did you know?

Confer vs. Consult

Confer and consult are very closely related in meaning, and each has senses that are synonymous with the other’s. But as is so often the case with near-synonyms, there are contexts in which one word is preferable to the other.

If you confer with someone, it is entirely possible that you will be seeking advice, but you could also simply be having a discussion (“they conferred privately before making a decision”). If you are consulting someone or something, it is more likely that you are seeking advice (“he consulted his doctor before deciding on a course of treatment”). Consult is unambiguously the correct choice when one is seeking guidance or information from a non-human source; you would consult (not confer with) a dictionary for information on a word.

The sense of confer that is concerned with giving something (as in, “education confers many benefits”) is not shared by consult.

Synonyms

Verb

• advise
• confab
• confabulate
• confer
• counsel
• parley
• treat

Noun

• argument
• argumentation
• argy-bargy [chiefly British]
• back-and-forth
• colloquy
• confab
• confabulation
• conference
• consultation
• council
• counsel
• debate
• deliberation
• dialogue
• dialog
• discussion
• give-and-take
• palaver
• parley
• talk

Examples of consult in a Sentence

Verb

consult a lawyer about a business matter

You should not attempt these exercises without first consulting your doctor.

He made the decision without consulting me.

I expect to be consulted on important decisions.

I don't remember that part of the meeting; I'll have to consult my notes.

Noun

it was time for a change of do, which called for a consult with her hairdresser

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Flow Space consulted with sleep experts and doctors to shed light on all of the sleep changes your body experiences in your 40s and during menopause. —Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 16 Dec. 2024

The prosecutor’s office also consults with victims and their families when pleas are offered. —Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024

Noun

Pastry chef Amanda Rockman, previously at Nico Osteria, where Wu-Bower earned his Beard nominations, consults on desserts. —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 7 Oct. 2024

Plus, with Black Friday just around the corner, the vaginal health platform is sweetening the deal by waiving their one-time $45 consult fee (which includes a prescription, refills for up to one year and messaging with a doctor)—and giving you $20 off your first order. —Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle French or Latin; Middle French consulter, from Latin consultare, frequentative of consulere to deliberate, counsel, consult

First Known Use

Verb

1527, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1560, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

consult

verb

con·​sult

kən-ˈsəlt

1

: to seek the opinion or advice of

consult a doctor

2

: to seek information from

consult a dictionary

3

: to talk something over

have to consult with my lawyer

consulter noun

Medical Definition

consult

transitive verb

con·​sult kən-ˈsəlt 

: to ask the advice or opinion of

consult a doctor