noun

solace

/ˈsɒləs/ · say it: SAH·lis

comfort in a time of distress

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

1. (noun) comfort or consolation given to someone who is sad or suffering

2. (verb) to comfort or console someone who is sad or suffering

Examples

1. After her mother's death, she found solace in spending time with friends.
2. Music solaced him during his difficult recovery from the injury.

How to use solace

Solace is a somewhat formal or literary word for emotional comfort, often used when someone is dealing with grief, loss, or deep sadness. It suggests a deeper, more meaningful form of comfort than the casual 'comfort,' and emphasizes finding peace or relief in a person, activity, or place. The verb form is less common in contemporary English but appears in literary contexts.

Common phrases

find solace in
seek solace
offer solace
take solace
find solace with someone

Synonyms

comfort · consolation · sympathy · relief · succor

Opposites

distress · anguish · torment

Word family

solace (noun) · solace (verb) · solacing (adjective) · solaced (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'solace' with 'solicit' or misspell it as 'solice'; also, the verb form is rarely used in modern conversational English, so overusing it may sound unnatural.

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