1
: an architectural member projecting from a wall to form a bracket or from a keystone for ornament
2
3
a
: an upright case that houses the keyboards and controlling mechanisms of an organ and from which the organ is played
b
: a combination of readouts or displays and an input device (such as a keyboard or switches) by which an operator can monitor and interact with a system (such as a computer or dubber)
4
a
: a cabinet (as for a radio or television set) designed to rest directly on the floor
b
: a small storage cabinet between bucket seats in an automobile
5
: an electronic system that connects to a display (such as a television set) and is used primarily to play video games
consoled; consoling

transitive verb

: to alleviate the grief, sense of loss, or trouble of : comfort
console a widow
I consoled myself with the thought that things could be much worse.
consoler noun
plural consolers
He was a tactful consoler and capable of great generosity to people in trouble. Ferdinand Mount

Examples of console in a Sentence

Noun a custom-built walnut console holds all of their home-theater components Verb Nothing could console her after his death. the military officer who must console the bereaved at a soldier's funeral
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Rather, its success came from seeing and solving an inherent problem: personal entertainment was immobile, grounded in console stereo systems. Mark Nevins, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 Originally planned to ship in 2024, then bumped to Q1 2025, preorders of the $250 Analogue 3D console are now closed. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
Later that evening, Cara attempts to console the girl, who's crying in her bedroom. Matt Cabral, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025 The unlikely scene stealers include a boxer in Brooklyn whose mother consoles him after a loss and warns him to control his temper in public; and the philosopher Jacques Derrida, who likens Johnson to a different sort of philosopher — the kind who falls into a well while looking at the stars. Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for console

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French

Verb

French consoler, from Latin consolari, from com- + solari to console

First Known Use

Noun

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1673, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of console was in 1664

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Cite this Entry

“Console.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/console. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

console

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: the part of an organ at which the organist sits and which contains the keyboard and controls
b
: a panel or cabinet with dials and switches for controlling an electronic or mechanical device
2
: a cabinet (as for a phonograph or television set) that stands on the floor
3
: an electronic system that connects to a display (as a TV set) and is used to play video games

console

2 of 2 verb
consoled; consoling
: to comfort in times of grief, distress, or suffering

More from Merriam-Webster on console

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