Adjacent Words

Consternation definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CONSTERNATION, n. [L., to throw or strike down.] Astonishment; amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates a person for consultation and execution; excessive terror, wonder or surprise.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: fear resulting from the awareness of danger [syn: alarm, dismay, consternation]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: French or Latin; French, from Latin consternation-, consternatio, from consternare to throw into confusion, from com- + -sternare, probably from sternere to spread, strike down — more at strew Date: 1604 amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion <the two…stared at each other in consternation, and neither knew what to do — Pearl Buck>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. anxiety or dismay causing mental confusion. Etymology: F consternation or L consternatio (as consternate)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Consternation Con`ster*na"tion, n. [L. consternatio, fr. consternare to overome, perplex, an accessory form of consternere to trow down, prostrate; con + sternere to spread out, throw down: cf. F. consternation. See Stratum.] Amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates for reflection; terror, combined with amazement; dismay. The chiefs around, In silence wrapped, in consternation drowned. Attend the stern reply. --Pope. Syn: Alarm; fright; amazement; astonishment; surprise; panic; perturbation. See Alarm.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Consternation is a feeling of anxiety or fear. (FORMAL) His decision caused consternation in the art photography community... = dismay

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Alarm, amazement, terror, horror, fright, dismay, panic, sudden fear.

Moby Thesaurus

abject fear, affright, alarm, awe, bewilderment, blue funk, confusion, cowardice, dismay, distraction, dread, fear, fright, funk, horrification, horror, muddle, muddlement, panic, panic fear, perplexity, phobia, scare, stampede, terror, trepidation, trepidity, unholy dread