consternation
con·ster·na·tion/ˌkɑn.s(t)ɚˈneɪ.ʃən/noun
consternation is spelled C-O-N-S-T-E-R-N-A-T-I-O-N: 13 letters and 4 syllables (con·ster·na·tion). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, consternation means “Amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates for reflection; terror, combined with amazement; dismay” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of consternation is consternations.
How many letters and syllables are in consternation?
| Letters | 13: C-O-N-S-T-E-R-N-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: con·ster·na·tion |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 36,565th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is consternation?
Consternation appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce consternation?
- UK /ˌkɒn.stəˈneɪ.ʃən/
- US /ˌkɑn.s(t)ɚˈneɪ.ʃən/
Consternation has 4 syllables, split con·ster·na·tion in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-consternation.ogg, En-au-consternation.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with consternation?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as consternation from its last stressed vowel (/eɪʃən/):
- situation
- association
- population
- administration
- operation
- organization
- application
- location
- generation
- foundation
- conversation
- investigation
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of consternation
- consternations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does consternation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Amazement or horror that confounds the faculties, and incapacitates for reflection; terror, combined with amazement; dismay.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Consternation in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense amazement or horror; terror, combined with amazement; dismay:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | consternation, sidération, accablement, prostration |
| German | Bestürzung, Fassungslosigkeit |
| Portuguese | consternação |
| Spanish | consternación, abatimiento, postración |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does consternation come from?
From French consternation, from Latin consternātiō. By surface analysis, consternate + -ion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).