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.
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Recent Examples of consternation
To the consternation of some local residents and environmentalists, the rapid growth of Starbase has wiped out the small and eclectic community that existed here.
—
Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
Initial Reactions The new update has caused some consternation.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
The club’s lack of action so far and the pending deadline has caused consternation for supporters, players and staff.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2025
But the announcement on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place next month, is creating consternation in the Caribbean region.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
Initial Reactions The new update has caused some consternation.
—David Phelan, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
The club’s lack of action so far and the pending deadline has caused consternation for supporters, players and staff.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2025
But the announcement on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place next month, is creating consternation in the Caribbean region.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for consternation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consternation
Noun
-
Moments after it was confirmed that Charlie Kirk died from a gunshot wound during a college event Wednesday in Utah, several Arkansas political leaders went to social media to express their dismay over the conservative activist's death.—
Ella McCarthy,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
-
To the dismay of party insiders, Anderson slipped through the 1994 Republican primary to win the GOP nomination for state attorney general.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Leaders have since reached an agreement to de-escalate tensions, temporarily lowering the duties to 30% on the United States’ side and 10% on China’s part.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Both nations' military deployments indicate that the region could remain a potential flashpoint, with further operations or incidents possibly escalating tensions.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Widespread panic and pain People who were not directly exposed to the disaster but who were exposed to the news also experience distress, anxiety or symptoms of PTSD.—
Arash Javanbakht,
The Conversation,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Naturally the thought of death came into one’s mind occasionally but one tried to be sensible about it, not getting into a panic, not pushing it away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
War games involving Russian and Belarusian troops on Monday spurred unease in Europe, which is already on edge after Russian drones entered Poland and Romania last week.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Pasteur himself didn’t opine on whether this might threaten existing life, but others were soon expressing unease following his breakthroughs in unlocking life’s chemical secrets.—
Thomas Moynihan,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Those with suicide ideation might attempt suicide, but these attempts often represent a desire to escape distress as opposed to end-of-life issues.—
Eric Wood,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
In Pennsylvania, lawmakers have still not broken out of the impasse, spelling financial distress for schools and counties that rely particularly heavily on state funding.—
Isabella Volmert,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Consternation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consternation. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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