consolation prize

noun

: a prize given to a runner-up or a loser in a contest

Examples of consolation prize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a consolation prize, Katalyst will continue to operate Link in proximity with the telescope to demonstrate capabilities for future rescue operations. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 But helping to set up Webb for a victory was a pretty good consolation prize. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026 If a gap opens in the cloud for a short time and the corona appears, that is not a consolation prize. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026 For too long, many treated a career in the trades as a consolation prize — what young people did if college wasn’t in the cards. — Brendan Bechtel, Fortune, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for consolation prize

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of consolation prize was in 1886

Rhymes for consolation prize

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Browse Nearby Words

consolation
consolation prize
consolator
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Cite this Entry

“Consolation prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consolation%20prize. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on consolation prize

Nglish: Translation of consolation prize for Spanish Speakers

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