consult

consult — verb

1. to go to a person, book, website, or other source for expert information or advi

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to go to a person, book, website, or other source for expert information or advice on a particular topic

Example

Before buying a house, Kian consulted a local real estate agent about prices.

consult + person about + topic

Doctors often consult medical journals before prescribing a new treatment.

consult + written source for information

Common collocations
  • consult a doctor
  • consult a lawyer
  • consult a specialist
  • consult the manual
  • consult a map
  • consult an expert
Synonyms
  • refer to

    more general; can mean simply looking at something for info, not necessarily an expert

  • look up

    informal; used for checking facts in a book, list, or online

  • ask

    less formal; used for getting information from a person in everyday situations

Antonyms
  • ignore

    to deliberately not seek or pay attention to advice or information

Grammar Patterns

consult + person/source

Usage Note

For informal situations, 'ask' or 'look up' sound more natural. 'Consult' suggests you are seeking information from someone or something with recognised authority or expertise on the matter.

Common Mistakes

I consulted with the dictionary.
I consulted the dictionary.
When referring to a reference work, use 'consult' directly without 'with'.
I need to consult the weather.
I need to check the weather.
'Consult' is too formal for everyday situations like checking the weather.

2. to talk with someone in order to hear their opinion or get their permission befo

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to talk with someone in order to hear their opinion or get their permission before reaching a decision

Example

The manager consulted with her team before announcing the new policy.

consult with + person before + action

We need to consult the residents before building the new playground.

consult + group before decision

Common collocations
  • consult with a colleague
  • consult with a partner
  • consult with stakeholders
  • consult before deciding
  • consult about the plan
Synonyms
  • confer

    more formal; implies equal discussion among participants

  • talk to

    informal; general communication without the formal decision-making nuance

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

consult with + person + about + topic

consult + person + before + action

Usage Note

Often followed by 'with' when the discussion is mutual. The pattern 'consult with someone' emphasises a two-way exchange of views rather than simply asking for information.

Common Mistakes

I consulted with the dictionary.
I consulted the dictionary.
'Consult with' implies discussion between people, not using a reference source.
She consulted to her manager.
She consulted with her manager.
The correct preposition is 'with', not 'to'.

3. to work as an expert who is paid to give professional advice in a particular are

3.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to work as an expert who is paid to give professional advice in a particular area, such as medicine, finance, or technology

Example

After retiring from teaching, Eleni now consults for several private schools.

consult for + organisation (provide advice)

The software company hired a security expert to consult on their new system.

consult on + topic/area

Common collocations
  • consult for a company
  • consult on a project
  • consult as an expert
  • consult in IT
  • consult for a fee
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

consult + as + role

consult + for + organisation

consult + on + topic

Usage Note

The subject is the person giving advice, unlike senses 1 and 2 where the subject is the person seeking advice. This sense typically appears in business or professional contexts.

Common Mistakes

I need to consult for a doctor about my pain.
I need to consult a doctor about my pain.
Sense 3 means 'give advice,' not 'get advice.' Use sense 1 to seek help.

consult — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These three expressions all involve finding information, but differ in register and object type. 'Consult' is the most formal and implies that the source has recognised authority: you consult a doctor, a lawyer, or a specialist manual. 'Refer to' is more neutral and general — you can refer to a note, a diagram, or an earlier email without suggesting the source is an expert authority. 'Look up' is the most informal and is used for quick fact-checking in reference materials: you look up a word in a dictionary, a number in a phone book, or a recipe online. For example, you would consult a financial advisor about your investments, refer to your notes during a presentation, and look up a train time on your phone.

consult ↗refer to ↗look up ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a doctor
  • a lawyer
  • an expert
  • a specialist
  • a dictionary
  • a manual
  • a map
  • a website
  • a colleague
  • a consultant

Adverbs

  • always consult
  • carefully consult
  • regularly consult
  • widely consulted
  • directly consult

Phrases

  • consult a professional
  • consult a specialist
  • consult an authority
  • consult the literature

Prepositions

  • consult about
  • consult with
  • consult on
  • consult for
  • consult as

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'consult' comes from Latin 'consultare', meaning 'to take counsel, deliberate, or ask for advice'. This was a frequentative form of 'consulere' ('to take counsel, to consider'). It entered English through French 'consulter' in the 16th century. Over time, the meaning expanded from 'seeking advice from a person' to also include 'looking for information from written sources' (19th century) and later 'providing professional advice' (20th century).