consolation
noun
con·so·la·tion
ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən 
1
2
: something that consoles
specifically
: a contest held for those who have lost early in a tournament
Examples of consolation in a Sentence
His kind words were a consolation to me.
the consolation of the grieving family by their pastor
Recent Examples on the Web
Increasingly, their 2024-25 season is becoming about small positives — tiny consolations that can help supporters believe that this slog is in aid of something.
—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
For Carlos Beltran, who finished fourth in the balloting, the consolation is that the Baseball Writers appear to be forgiving him for his part in the 2017 Astros cheating scandal, increasing his percentage from 51.1% last year to the doorstep at 70.3%.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
We are told to find consolation in the creative and prolific souls who share the affliction: the Brontës, Baudelaire, Kafka, Proust, Nabokov.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Easing inflation in the housing sector, which held steady at a 0.3 percent increase on the month while easing to a 4.6 percent increase on the year, offered little consolation.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for consolation 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
For Carlos Beltran, who finished fourth in the balloting, the consolation is that the Baseball Writers appear to be forgiving him for his part in the 2017 Astros cheating scandal, increasing his percentage from 51.1% last year to the doorstep at 70.3%.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
We are told to find consolation in the creative and prolific souls who share the affliction: the Brontës, Baudelaire, Kafka, Proust, Nabokov.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Easing inflation in the housing sector, which held steady at a 0.3 percent increase on the month while easing to a 4.6 percent increase on the year, offered little consolation.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for consolation
Dictionary Entries Near consolation
Cite this Entry
“Consolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolation. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
consolation
noun
con·so·la·tion
ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the act or an instance of consoling : the state of being consoled
2
: something that consoles
consolatory
adjective
kən-ˈsōl-ə-ˌtōr-ē
-sä-lə-
-ˌtȯr-
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share