as in dismay
formal
a strong feeling of surprise or sudden disappointment that causes confusion
The candidate caused consternation among his supporters by changing positions on a key issue. Much to her parents' consternation, she had decided to not go to college.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of consternation
The surveillance flights have already caused consternation in Mexico, which has long been wary of its northern neighbor after multiple U.S. invasions and land grabs.
—
Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
The threat created consternation among Republican senators.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 Feb. 2025
There was much consternation about whether big tech companies, Nvidia’s clients, could run AI with less computing power — and thus, slow their massive spending plans.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
The goodwill about the bones of the game and the positive responses to some patch additions are still accompanied by some consternation about the UI.
—Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
The threat created consternation among Republican senators.
—Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 Feb. 2025
There was much consternation about whether big tech companies, Nvidia’s clients, could run AI with less computing power — and thus, slow their massive spending plans.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 19 Mar. 2025
The goodwill about the bones of the game and the positive responses to some patch additions are still accompanied by some consternation about the UI.
—Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consternation
Noun
-
The news quickly sent shockwaves through Washington, where officials and intelligence experts reacted with dismay and disbelief.—
Lex Harvey and Alex Stambaugh,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2025
-
However, Stefani's post also appeared to antagonize, dismay and confuse some of her fans, who left critical comments on her post.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Taylor compared the tension producers navigate to that of the lawyers in the room.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Despite escalating trade tensions and market turbulence since Trump took office in January, the economy remains in solid shape by several key measures.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Trump faces growing pushback from his own party The markets were still in a panic on Monday when an unverified report circulated that the president was considering a 90-day pause on the tariffs.—
Time,
Time,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Later that night, his girlfriend called her in a panic and told her about the shooting.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Even when upheaval isn’t imminent within your organization, broad societal and economic shifts can create a sense of unease, as external stressors inevitably impact workplace morale.—
Michael McFall,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
What is new, however, is the atmosphere of unease ushered in by Donald Trump’s return to power.—
Alex Ashley,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
At the Santa Monica test location after the rains, the level of beryllium — a metal that is toxic to fish and corals and causes respiratory distress in humans — was more than 10 times the maximum limit allowed.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The result: Some doctors and hospitals have held back on treatments, waiting for the fetal heartbeat to stop or for patients to wind up in undeniable distress.—
Kavitha Surana,
ProPublica,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Consternation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consternation. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share