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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
As the prices of houses has continued to increase in nominal terms, which represents a legitimate and ongoing source of political and economic consternation for investors, taxpayers, and policymakers alike, an alternative method of pricing and valuation has continued to emerge.
—
Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Flores, who also exchanged words with Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman last Friday, did not stick around long enough to explain the source of his consternation in the seventh inning.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 26 June 2025
Much of the consternation among high-profile Trump backers stemmed from the president’s teasing the possibility of regime change in Iran.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 25 June 2025
That rotation has since become a source of consternation with each individual next in line, wondering if his predecessor will step aside.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Sean Stein Smith, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Flores, who also exchanged words with Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman last Friday, did not stick around long enough to explain the source of his consternation in the seventh inning.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 26 June 2025
Much of the consternation among high-profile Trump backers stemmed from the president’s teasing the possibility of regime change in Iran.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 25 June 2025
That rotation has since become a source of consternation with each individual next in line, wondering if his predecessor will step aside.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consternation
Noun
-
Bayern forward Harry Kane was on his knees, checking on Musiala’s well-being, as was captain Joshua Kimmich, who took one look at his young team-mate’s left leg and turned away in apparent dismay.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
-
The legislation also has a large-scale rollback of clean-energy initiatives, to the dismay of everyone from climate activists to Elon Musk.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
The move to resume sales of the H20 chips comes amid easing tensions between Washington and Beijing, with China relaxing controls on rare earth exports and the United States allowing chip design software services to resume in China.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 July 2025
-
But the dustup over the building renovation is just a superficial sign of the underlying tension between the administration and the central bank.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
According to the report, the lightning strike left beachgoers, swimmers and surfers in a panic, and many ran for their cars in the immediate aftermath.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
-
Steven was there for Conrad in that moment too, finding him on the beach hyperventilating and talking him out of the panic to distract him.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Other countries were still expressing unease, however.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
6 July 2025
-
But progress on this front has been slow, most likely due to China’s increasing unease with Iranian foreign policy and doubts about its long-term stability.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
Brown said a bite from a lone star tick can trigger an allergic reaction, with symptoms including hives, gastrointestinal distress and potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis.—
State House News Service,
Boston Herald,
13 July 2025
-
Tiffany had shown no indication of being depressed or in emotional distress.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Consternation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consternation. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share