1
as in pondering
to give serious and careful thought to
she contemplated the problem for several hours before reaching a decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in planning
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
he waited patiently, contemplating revenge all the while
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of contemplating
And after spending time contemplating addressing her aging skin, the time was right.
—
Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
At the heart of the film, there are two young boys who are discovering their identity and their first love, and contemplating what to do with it.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
At this point, Venegas briefly glances at the rows of books inside the lending library, as if contemplating the vastness of human creativity.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Her organs shift while contemplating policy.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Retirees and soon-to-be retirees have long been a potent voting bloc that instill fear in lawmakers, especially those contemplating any adjustments to Social Security and Medicare.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026
With the next inflation reading from the Bureau of Labor Statistics set for a May 12 release, some may be contemplating the benefit of locking a mortgage rate before that date.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 7 May 2026
Here was a more congenial setting for contemplating liberty than Paris or Port-au-Prince.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Conversely, revenues can spike during strong economic periods, making these taxes less reliable when contemplating long-term budgeting.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Hedy Phillips, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
At the heart of the film, there are two young boys who are discovering their identity and their first love, and contemplating what to do with it.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026
At this point, Venegas briefly glances at the rows of books inside the lending library, as if contemplating the vastness of human creativity.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Her organs shift while contemplating policy.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026
Retirees and soon-to-be retirees have long been a potent voting bloc that instill fear in lawmakers, especially those contemplating any adjustments to Social Security and Medicare.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026
With the next inflation reading from the Bureau of Labor Statistics set for a May 12 release, some may be contemplating the benefit of locking a mortgage rate before that date.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 7 May 2026
Here was a more congenial setting for contemplating liberty than Paris or Port-au-Prince.
—Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Conversely, revenues can spike during strong economic periods, making these taxes less reliable when contemplating long-term budgeting.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplating
Verb
-
EBay’s board is now pondering GameStop’s offer.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
The sequence left us pondering our pet cats and, for good measure, our worst selves.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Many four-year colleges have been planning for such a transition for years.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
-
Too bad then that the man holding a debt over his head (Jonathan Coyne) is actually planning on offing him in his last match.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
And half the conference isn't an exaggeration, considering Sankey's prior remarks.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
State lawmakers are considering legislation that would exempt from taxation 50% of the residential property owned by a fully disabled veteran, or 100% if their household income does not exceed $40,000.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Many Democrats, spooked by the prospect of their party being frozen out in June’s top-two primary, have been clinging to their ballots, intending to vote at the last moment for whichever Democrat appears likeliest to finish first.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
Prosecutors were intending to keep Wright behind bars until his trial but withdrew their request during the hearing.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Their days are spent swimming in the lake, picnicking by the beach and debating poetry and literature.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
One scene shows the crew in a garage deconstructing a surfboard and passionately debating where the fins should go.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Plus, the addition of a cuff adds a more polished aesthetic that prevents you from looking frumpy at the office or dinner.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
-
Its servers are generally older women who, frankly, all seem to be looking forward to the end of their shifts.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
One way that astronomers determine the distance to an object in space is by studying its light.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 May 2026
-
What began as a groundbreaking social experiment to see how a group of strangers could live together on an island for 39 days has gradually evolved into an intricate strategy game that superfans devote their lives to studying.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
And the two are treated differently, with Dorothy and other characters repeatedly questioning whether Tik-Tok is, in fact, alive.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
19 May 2026
-
Wanted for questioning, Watts later surrendered to authorities on an outstanding federal arrest warrant.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contemplating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplating. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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