Condole vs. Console — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 29, 2023
Condole means to express sympathy for someone's loss or sorrow; Console means to comfort or soothe someone during distress or sadness.
Difference Between Condole and Console
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Condole is a verb that specifically refers to the act of expressing sympathy, usually during times of grief or sorrow. Console, on the other hand, is a broader term, emphasizing the act of comforting or providing solace to someone who is upset, distressed, or sad. While condoling generally implies a shared sense of grief or an acknowledgment of another's sorrow, consoling is more about offering support, encouragement, or a shoulder to lean on.
Condole is often used in situations of death or significant loss, such as when someone offers their condolences at a funeral. Console, however, has a wider range of use and can be applied to any situation where someone needs comfort, from a minor disappointment to a significant tragedy. The act of condoling can be a part of consoling, but the latter goes beyond just expressing sympathy.
When someone says, "I condole with you on your loss," they're specifically acknowledging the pain of that loss. But when someone says, "I'm here to console you," they're offering more than just words; they're offering their presence, their comfort, and their support. Both actions, condoling and consoling, are gestures of kindness and empathy, but they operate at different levels of emotional engagement and support.
Comparison Chart
Meaning
Express sympathy
Comfort during distress
Usage Context
Typically during times of death or significant loss
Any situation requiring comfort
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Emotional Engagement
Acknowledgment of sorrow
Offering support and encouragement
Common Phrases
"I condole with your loss"
"I'm here to console you"
Grammatical Form
Verb
Verb
Compare with Definitions
Condole
Condole is a formal gesture of empathy.
He wrote a letter to condole the loss of her mother.
Console
Console means to comfort during distress.
She tried to console him after his pet passed away.
Condole
Condole means to express sympathy.
I condole with you on the passing of your father.
Console
Console is to provide solace to someone upset.
After the game, the coach consoled the disappointed players.
Condole
Condole emphasizes shared grief.
Neighbors gathered to condole the sudden demise of their friend.
Console
Console emphasizes alleviating sadness or disappointment.
Music has the power to console a weary soul.
Condole
Condole typically follows significant tragedies.
The community gathered to condole the devastation caused by the fire.
Console
Console can be both verbal and physical comfort.
Sometimes a hug is all you need to console a crying child.
Condole
Condole is to acknowledge someone's sorrow.
Many came to condole the family's tragic loss.
Console
Comfort (someone) at a time of grief or disappointment
You can console yourself with the thought that you did your best
She tried to console him but he pushed her gently away
Condole
To express sympathy or sorrow
I condoled with him in his loss.
Console
A panel or unit accommodating a set of controls for electronic or mechanical equipment.
Condole
(intransitive) To express sympathetic sorrow; to lament in sympathy (with someone on something).
Console
An ornamented bracket or corbel supporting a shelf or table top.
Condole
(transitive) To condole with (someone).
Console
To allay the sorrow or grief of (someone).
Condole
(transitive) To say in an expression of sympathy.
Console
A central control panel for a mechanical, electrical, or electronic system.
Condole
To lament, grieve, bemoan (something).
Console
(Computers) The keyboard and monitor, considered as a unit by which a user provides input and receives output from a central processing unit.
Condole
To express sympathetic sorrow; to grieve in sympathy; - followed by with.
Your friends would have cause to rejoice, rather than condole with you.
Console
An instrument panel.
Condole
To lament or grieve over.
I come not, Samson, to condole thy chance.
Console
A computer system designed to play a specific format of video game using special controllers and a separate display, such as a television.
Condole
Express one's sympathetic grief, on the occasion of someone's death;
You must condole the widow
Console
(Music) The desklike part of an organ that contains the keyboard, stops, and pedals.
Console
A small storage compartment mounted between bucket seats in an automobile.
Console
A small, freestanding cabinet, especially one housing a television or stereo equipment.
Console
An often scroll-shaped bracket used for decoration or for supporting a projecting member, such as a cornice or shelf.
Console
A console table.
Console
A stand-alone cabinet designed to stand on the floor; especially, one integrated with home entertainment equipment, such as a TV or stereo system.
Console
A desk-like cabinet, table, or stand upon which controls, instruments, and displays are mounted.
Console
An instrument with displays and an input device that is used to monitor and control an electronic system.
Console
The keyboard and screen of a computer or other electronic device.
Console
(video games) A consumer device dedicated to playing video games, with the ability to change games.
Console
(automotive) A storage tray or container mounted between the seats of an automobile.
Console
(architectural element) An ornamental member jutting out of a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, often S-shaped.
Console
(transitive) To comfort (someone) in a time of grief, disappointment, etc.
Console
To cheer in distress or depression; to alleviate the grief and raise the spirits of; to relieve; to comfort; to soothe.
And empty heads console with empty sound.
I am much consoled by the reflection that the religion of Christ has been attacked in vain by all the wits and philosophers, and its triumph has been complete.
Console
A bracket whose projection is not more than half its height.
Console
The keyboard and monitor of a computer considered together.
Console
The controlling portion of an electrical, electronic, or mechanical device or system, from which the operator may observe the state of the system as indicated by gauges or on some form of display{n3}, and may direct or control the action of the system.
Console
The desklike controlling unit of an organ containing the keyboard, pedals, stops, etc. by means of which the organ is played.
Console
A home entertainment device such as a television, radio, phonograph, CD player, or combination of these, designed as a piece of furniture, to stand on the floor rather than on a table or in a separate cabinet; - also used attributively in the phrase console model.
Console
A small table fixed to a wall or designed to stand against a wall
Console
A scientific instrument consisting of displays and an input device that an operator can use to monitor and control a system (especially a computer system)
Console
An ornamental scroll-shaped bracket (especially one used to support a wall fixture);
The bust of Napoleon stood on a console
Console
Housing for electronic instruments, as radio or television
Console
Give moral or emotional strength to
Console
Console offers support and encouragement.
He was there to console her during the toughest times.
Common Curiosities
What does condole mean?
Condole means to express sympathy, especially during times of grief or sorrow.
Are the words condole and console interchangeable?
Not always. While both show empathy, "condole" is about expressing sympathy, and "console" is about offering comfort.
Can "console" be used in minor disappointments?
Yes, "console" can be used in various situations, from minor upsets to major tragedies.
Is "console" limited to expressions of sympathy?
No, "console" can be used in a broader sense to offer comfort in any sad or distressing situation.
Is "condole" a formal word?
Yes, "condole" tends to be more formal and specific in its usage.
What's the noun form of "console"?
The noun form is "consolation."
How does "condole" differ in emotional engagement from "console"?
While "condole" acknowledges sorrow, "console" offers support and comfort.
What does console mean?
Console means to comfort or soothe someone who is upset or distressed.
Can "condole" be used in any sad situation?
While it can be, "condole" is typically used in contexts of significant loss, like death.
Can "console" also mean offering physical comfort?
Yes, "console" can include both verbal and physical gestures of comfort.
When would I use "condole" in a sentence?
You might use "condole" when expressing sympathy, such as "I condole with your loss."
Can a thing, like music, console someone?
Absolutely. Things like music, books, or places can offer comfort and console individuals.
Are both "condole" and "console" verbs?
Yes, both words are primarily used as verbs in English.
Is "condoling" the same as "offering condolences"?
Yes, both terms refer to expressing sympathy during times of grief.
Why might someone need consoling?
A person might need consoling due to feelings of sadness, disappointment, or grief.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
