console

console — verb

1. to offer kind words or gentle actions to a person who is feeling sad or disappoi

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to offer kind words or gentle actions to a person who is feeling sad or disappointed, so that they feel less upset

Example

Gabriel tried to console his younger brother after the team lost the match.

console + person + after + [event]

The elderly nurse gently consoled the frightened child by holding her hand.

console + by + gerund

Common collocations
  • console someone with
  • console someone after
  • try to console
  • gently console
Synonyms
  • comfort

    broader term; comfort can be physical or emotional, while console focuses on sadness or disappointment

  • soothe

    more about calming pain or nerves, not necessarily addressing sadness

  • reassure

    focuses on removing doubt or fear, not sadness

Antonyms
  • upset

    to make someone unhappy or worried, the opposite of helping them feel better

  • distress

    to cause anxiety or sorrow

Grammar Patterns

console + person who is sad

Usage Note

The person being consoled must be specifically unhappy or disappointed — not simply in need of general encouragement. This sense is not used for calming someone who is angry or afraid.

Common Mistakes

The doctor consoled her broken leg.
The doctor consoled her after she broke her leg.
console a person, not a thing or injury.

2. to make yourself feel less sad or disappointed by finding a reason or activity t

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to make yourself feel less sad or disappointed by finding a reason or activity that gives you comfort

Example

After losing the race, Anong consoled herself by thinking about the next competition.

reflexive pattern: console + oneself + by + gerund

Eitan consoled himself with the thought that no one had been hurt in the accident.

reflexive pattern: console + oneself + with + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • console oneself with
  • console oneself by
  • console oneself with the thought
Synonyms
  • comfort oneself

    less common in everyday speech; 'console yourself' is more natural

  • cheer oneself up

    informal, focuses on lifting mood rather than handling disappointment

Grammar Patterns

console oneself with + noun phrase

console oneself by + gerund

Usage Note

Always used with a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself, etc.). The pattern 'console oneself with/by' is the only natural structure for this sense.

Common Mistakes

He consoled that he had done his best.
He consoled himself with the thought that he had done his best.
The reflexive pronoun is required.

console — noun

Word family

  • consolation
    nounB2
  • consolatory
    adjectiveC1
  • consolingly
    adverbC1
  • inconsolable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

While all four terms relate to playing video games, 'console' specifically means a dedicated device that connects to a television or monitor — such as the PlayStation or Xbox. 'Gaming system' is a broader term that may include the console plus controllers, headsets, and other accessories as a package. 'Handheld' refers to portable gaming devices like the Nintendo Switch Lite or Steam Deck, which have their own built-in screen. 'Gaming platform' is the broadest term, covering not only consoles and handhelds but also personal computers and mobile phones. In everyday conversation, a teen might say 'I saved up for a new console,' while a reviewer would compare 'gaming platforms' across price and performance.

console ↗gaming systemhandheldgaming platform

Common collocations

Nouns

  • console game
  • console maker
  • console generation

Phrases

  • play on the console
  • sit at the console
  • stand against the wall

Prepositions

  • on a console
  • at a console
  • inside a console

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'console' entered English from two different paths. The verb (to comfort) comes from Latin 'consolari' (com- 'with' + solari 'to soothe'), passing through French 'consoler'. The noun (control panel and related meanings) comes from French 'console', originally a supporting bracket in architecture. This bracket meaning led to the 'console table' (a table supported against a wall), then to any cabinet or panel housing electronic equipment, and finally to the control surfaces and gaming devices we use today.