condolence
kuhn-DOH-luhnss
/kənˈdoʊləns/
An expression of sympathy with someone who is suffering grief, especially after a death.
Almost exclusively formal, written or spoken expressions delivered to grieving families.
The story behind the word. Entered English in the late 16th century from Late Latin 'condolere' (to suffer with). The root 'dolere' also gave English 'doleful' and 'indolent'.
Word relationships
- sympathy: Sympathy is the feeling of care, whereas condolence is the formal expression or message sent.
- congratulation: Congratulation expresses joy for success, while condolence expresses sympathy for death or tragedy.
Commonly confused with
- commiserate: Condolence is the formal statement/noun; commiserate is the verb action of sharing grief.
Word family
- condole (verb): To express sympathy.
Collocations
- offer condolences
- send condolences
- sincere condolences
- letter of condolence
Idioms & expressions
- heartfelt condolences
Example sentences
- "The university president sent a formal letter of condolence to the family of the late professor." Official letter
- "Prime Minister offered heartfelt condolences to the nation following the catastrophic earthquake." Diplomatic speech
Memory hook
CONdolence = CONnecting to share DOLOR (sadness) when someone dies. Formal words sent in times of grief.
When not to use
Do not use for trivial inconveniences like missing a bus or breaking a phone.
Fun facts
- The root 'dolere' in condolence is the exact same root found in 'doleful' (sad) and 'pain' in Spanish ('dolor').
Related words
Explore more words
inconsolable, solace, lament, grieve, sympathetic, bereavement
Also appears in
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