as in contemplated
to give serious and careful thought to
I'm pondering whether or not I should join another committee
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Recent Examples of pondered
Four Ball State players pondered it prior to the 2022 season.
—
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
In her conversation with Interview, Peters pondered whether the next Great American Novelist could be trans.
—Grace Byron, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
National media and pundits pondered why a team would sell off Alan Pulido a year after signing him to a large extension and not commit to William Agada as the starter, as the two had somewhat similar chance and shot-creation numbers in 2024.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Amid these non-Radiohead releases, fans have pondered Radiohead’s future, particularly after Yorke spoke to Australia’s Double J in October 2024 and addressed the speculation.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Former Philadelphia Phillies star John Kruk pondered one of life’s biggest questions during the team’s game against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
While the sleuths pondered, other hotel guests dialed 911.
—Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Aug. 2025
Thomas and Irish director Mark Cousins pondered over the state of the film industry during a 90-minute conversation, which also covered Harvey Weinstein, Harry Cohn and Thomas’ time spent with some of the biggest filmmakers in history.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
Just 36 hours before Florida’s new DOGE team arrived in Broward County on the prowl for questionable local government spending, North Lauderdale city commissioners pondered a spending issue — and voted to triple their own salaries, to $57,094 a year.
—Anthony Man, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2025
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
In her conversation with Interview, Peters pondered whether the next Great American Novelist could be trans.
—Grace Byron, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
National media and pundits pondered why a team would sell off Alan Pulido a year after signing him to a large extension and not commit to William Agada as the starter, as the two had somewhat similar chance and shot-creation numbers in 2024.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Amid these non-Radiohead releases, fans have pondered Radiohead’s future, particularly after Yorke spoke to Australia’s Double J in October 2024 and addressed the speculation.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Former Philadelphia Phillies star John Kruk pondered one of life’s biggest questions during the team’s game against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2025
While the sleuths pondered, other hotel guests dialed 911.
—Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Aug. 2025
Thomas and Irish director Mark Cousins pondered over the state of the film industry during a 90-minute conversation, which also covered Harvey Weinstein, Harry Cohn and Thomas’ time spent with some of the biggest filmmakers in history.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
Just 36 hours before Florida’s new DOGE team arrived in Broward County on the prowl for questionable local government spending, North Lauderdale city commissioners pondered a spending issue — and voted to triple their own salaries, to $57,094 a year.
—Anthony Man, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
Verb
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Conducting compensation negotiations with a team is only one of relevant services contemplated by the SPAC.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The United States seriously contemplated striking North Korea’s Yongbyon reactor in 1993, even drawing up military plans to attack the site with penetrating munitions delivered by stealth bombers.—
VIPIN NARANG,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Skin category winners are probably the most difficult to choose and definitely the most hotly debated, but after months of thorough testing (and retesting), in the end, our editors came to a consensus on which cleansers, creams, peels, and spot treatments offer the most impressive results.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Afterward, three grown men debated which member of their clubhouse possesses the best version of a chin beard.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As a junior at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and vice chair of the Utah Federation of College Republicans, Beesley considered Kirk a hero.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The century-old competition, held every four years, is considered as prestigious as a Michelin star—and many award-winning chefs have earned both.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At Thursday’s meeting, several panelists called for more studies to look at the long-term effects of measles vaccines, which have been extensively studied.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The University of Barcelona studied an amber deposit unearthed from a quarry near Archidona in the Amazonian Napo Province of Ecuador — a part of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt favorite Tituss Burgess and Culture Club singer Boy George have also entertained audiences in the part.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Lesbians who love age gaps deserve to be entertained just as much as anyone else.—
Ana Osorno,
Them.,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As the probe unfolded, Kelly Dever was one of several low-rent Canton losers who couldn’t keep their stories straight when questioned by the feds.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
-
That person was questioned and later released, and so was another taken into custody later that day.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bringing together more than 500 exhibitors and 25,000 industry professionals, the event pulsed with an unexpected energy and optimism, despite the tough years that have weighed heavily on Turkey’s economy.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Sep. 2025
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Zavacephale was a pint-sized pachycephalosaur that weighed roughly as much as a miniature poodle.—
Jack Tamisiea,
Scientific American,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Jeff is the author of Appalachian Fall (Simon & Schuster, 2020), which explored the decline of the coal industry and community-level responses to the energy transition.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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When these interactions were explored further, Thorn researchers found notable patterns especially among younger boys, defined as 9 to 12-year-olds in the study.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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