Standard Lemma guide

consult

noun · verb · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • kŏn'sŭlt
  • kən-sŭlt'
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkɒnsʌlt/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /kənˈsʌlt/
  • General-American: /ˈkɑnsʌlt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌlt
  • kənsŭlt'
  • /kənˈsʌlt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 N S AH1 L T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A visit to consult somebody, such as a doctor; a consultation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: consultation

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The act of consulting or deliberating; consultation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The result of consultation; determination; decision.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A council; a meeting for consultation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Agreement; concert.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To seek the opinion or advice of another; to take counsel; to deliberate together; to confer; to advise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • 1661 (written), published in 1681, Thomas Hobbes, A Dialogue between a Philosopher and a Student of the Common Laws of England All the laws of England have been made by the kings of England, consulting with the nobility and commons.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: see

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To advise or offer expertise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To work as a consultant or contractor rather than as a full-time employee of a firm.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To ask advice of; to seek the opinion of (a person)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: seek

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To refer to (something) for information.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To have reference to, in judging or acting; to have regard to; to consider; as, to consult one's wishes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To deliberate upon; to take for.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To bring about by counsel or contrivance; to devise; to contrive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

advise professionally

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The professor consults for industry

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rede, advise, counsel

15

verb

Meaning 15

have a conference in order to talk something over

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We conferred about a plan of action

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: confer, confabulate, confab

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hash out, discuss, talk over

Narrower terms: collogue

16

verb

Meaning 16

seek information from

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • You should consult the dictionary
  • refer to your notes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: refer, look up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: research

17

verb

Meaning 17

get or ask advice from

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Consult your local broker
  • They had to consult before arriving at a decision

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: confer with

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ask, inquire, enquire

History

Etymology

From Middle French consulter, from Latin cōnsultum, from cōnsultus, from cōnsulō.

Across languages

Translations

68 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: se concerter — deliberate together
  • German: Rat halten — deliberate together
  • German: beratschlagen — deliberate together
  • Hebrew: התייעץ (hitya'éts) — deliberate together
  • Russian: обсужда́ть (obsuždátʹ) — deliberate together
  • Russian: обсуди́ть (obsudítʹ) — deliberate together
  • Russian: совеща́ться (soveščátʹsja) — deliberate together
  • Thai: ปรึกษา (bprʉ̀k-sǎa) — deliberate together
  • Thai: หารือ (hǎa-rʉʉ) — deliberate together
  • Arabic: اِسْتَشَارَ (istašāra) — ask advice
  • Azerbaijani: məsləhətləşmək — ask advice
  • Azerbaijani: gənəşmək — ask advice
  • Bulgarian: съветвам се (sǎvetvam se) — ask advice
  • Bulgarian: съвещавам се (sǎveštavam se) — ask advice
  • Catalan: consultar — ask advice
  • Danish: rådspørge — ask advice
  • Dutch: raadplegen — ask advice
  • Esperanto: konsulti — ask advice
  • Finnish: keskustella — ask advice
  • Finnish: neuvotella — ask advice
  • French: consulter — ask advice
  • German: beraten — ask advice
  • German: beratschlagen — ask advice
  • Hebrew: התייעץ (hitya'étz) — ask advice
  • Indonesian: berkonsultasi — ask advice
  • Italian: consultarsi — ask advice
  • Latin: consulo — ask advice
  • Latin: sciscitor — ask advice
  • Norwegian Bokmål: rådspørre — ask advice
  • Portuguese: consultar — ask advice
  • Russian: сове́товаться (sovétovatʹsja) — ask advice
  • Russian: консульти́роваться (konsulʹtírovatʹsja) — ask advice
  • Russian: совеща́ться (soveščátʹsja) — ask advice
  • Spanish: consultar — ask advice
  • Thai: ปรึกษา (bprʉ̀k-sǎa) — ask advice
  • Thai: หารือ (hǎa-rʉʉ) — ask advice
  • Turkish: danışmak — ask advice
  • Arabic: نَصَحَ (naṣaḥa) — to advise or offer expertise
  • Bulgarian: консултирам (konsultiram) — to advise or offer expertise
  • Finnish: neuvoa — to advise or offer expertise
  • German: beraten — to advise or offer expertise
  • Russian: консульти́ровать (konsulʹtírovatʹ) — to advise or offer expertise
  • Russian: советовать (sovetovatʹ) — to advise or offer expertise
  • Slovak: konzultovať — to advise or offer expertise
  • Thai: ให้คําปรึกษา — to advise or offer expertise
  • Zazaki: şewêrnaene — to advise or offer expertise
  • Bulgarian: консултирам (konsultiram) — intransitive, to work as a consultant
  • Finnish: konsultoida — intransitive, to work as a consultant
  • Arabic: اِسْتَشَارَ (istašāra) — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Bulgarian: допитвам се (dopitvam se) — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Maore Comorian: uendra ha — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Ngazidja Comorian: ushawiri — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Dutch: raadplegen — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Finnish: pyytää neuvoa — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Finnish: kysyä neuvoa — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • French: consulter — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • German: um Rat fragen — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • German: um Rat nachsuchen — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • German: zu Rate ziehen — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • German: befragen — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Italian: consultare — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Latin: sciscitor — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Norwegian Bokmål: konsultere — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: konsultera — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: konsultere — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Portuguese: consultar — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Quechua: taripay — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of
  • Russian: консульти́роваться (konsulʹtírovatʹsja) — transitive, to ask advice of; to seek the opinion of