con·so·nant
ˈkän(t)-s(ə-)nənt 
1
: being in agreement or harmony : free from elements making for discord
The decision was consonant with the company's usual practice.
2
: marked by musical consonances
consonant chords
3
: having similar sounds
consonant words
4
: relating to or exhibiting consonance : resonant
consonantly
adverb
: one of a class of speech sounds (such as \p\, \g\, \n\, \l\, \s\, \r\) characterized by constriction or closure at one or more points in the breath channel
also
: a letter representing a consonant
—usually used in English of any letter except a, e, i, o, and u
Synonyms
Examples of consonant in a Sentence
Adjective
the temples and palaces of ancient Greece are among the most consonant buildings in architectural history
his gentle behavior is consonant with his expressed belief in pacifism
Recent Examples on the Web
Simon Tay, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2010
Where the republic’s hypocrisy fed its fatal weakness, corruption, the Taliban’s unabashed brutality was consonant with the movement’s strength, its unity.
—Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Her characters would crash down on consonants, as though landing a plane in the midst of an engine blowout or stretch out vowels in defiance of several laws of physics.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for consonant 
Adjective
China remains a far cry from having the sort of labor unions and collective bargaining that are taken for granted elsewhere, but, as Steinfeld correctly argues, Chinese labor practices are moving away from their revolutionary roots and are increasingly consonant with Western standards.
—Simon Tay, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2010
Where the republic’s hypocrisy fed its fatal weakness, corruption, the Taliban’s unabashed brutality was consonant with the movement’s strength, its unity.
—Matthieu Aikins Victor J. Blue Peter Ganim Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 22 May 2024
Noun
The Clue: This Wordle begins and ends with consonants.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
Her characters would crash down on consonants, as though landing a plane in the midst of an engine blowout or stretch out vowels in defiance of several laws of physics.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for consonant
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consonant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near consonant
Cite this Entry
“Consonant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consonant. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
consonant
1 of 2 adjective
con·so·nant
ˈkän(t)-s(ə-)nənt
: being in harmony or agreement
consonantly
adverb
consonant
2 of 2 noun1
: a speech sound (as \p\, \n\, or \s\) produced by narrowing or closing the breath channel at one or more points
2
: a letter representing a consonant
especially
: any letter of the English alphabet except a, e, i, o, and u
consonantal
adjective
ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈnant-ᵊl
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