consternation

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 9, 2024 is: consternation \kahn-ster-NAY-shun\ noun Consternation is a formal word that refers to a strong feeling of surprise or sudden disappointment that causes confusion. // The candidate caused consternation among his supporters by changing positions on a key issue. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consternation) Examples: “The incarcerated [Freedom] Riders’ new freedom song, which they sang incessantly to the consternation of their guards, was ‘Buses Are a Comin’,’ and the [freedom buses](https://www.britannica.com/event/Freedom-Rides) continued to roll into Mississippi until mid-August.” — Raymond Arsenault, John Lewis: In Search of the Beloved Community, 2024 Did you know? If you’ve ever been [flummoxed](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flummox), [befuddled](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/befuddle), or even [fuddled](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fuddle), you know a thing or two about consternation—but perhaps not all of it. Consternation and [confusion](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confusion) are not synonymous, though it’s understandable that they are sometimes confused. Consternation refers not to confusion, but to a feeling of amazement or dismay that can lead to confusion, or otherwise hinder or stop someone in their tracks. And much like [dismay](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dismay), consternation is often used in constructions starting with “much to,” as in “much to their consternation, their teacher announced a pop quiz as soon as class started.” People also often “express” or “show” their consternation in various ways, whether with furrowed brow, mouth [agog](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agog), or assorted mumblings and grumblings—visual and audible clues that they are working out just what to do next after being [consternated](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consternate).