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
Someone who has pondered such niceties is Richard Posner, a former circuit judge and a prolific legal scholar.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Lisa Nelson, executive director of the Hamline-Midway Coalition, said her board members pondered that question at length.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 18 Mar. 2026
These are questions that thinkers, philosophers, and academics have pondered over for centuries.
—Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Mar. 2026
Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan once pondered that the extras who make up the hive mind on the dystopian future show should be naked.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2026
Rice pondered about his team in the final moments of his Wednesday press conference.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Steve Kerr pondered a question from a local Salt Lake City reporter before the Warriors’ game Monday in Utah.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Some teachers and staff were concerned about losing their doctors when DPS pondered ending its 52 year relationship with Kaiser Permanente.
—Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
Moe pondered this for half a second.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Lisa Nelson, executive director of the Hamline-Midway Coalition, said her board members pondered that question at length.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 18 Mar. 2026
These are questions that thinkers, philosophers, and academics have pondered over for centuries.
—Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Mar. 2026
Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan once pondered that the extras who make up the hive mind on the dystopian future show should be naked.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2026
Rice pondered about his team in the final moments of his Wednesday press conference.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
Steve Kerr pondered a question from a local Salt Lake City reporter before the Warriors’ game Monday in Utah.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Some teachers and staff were concerned about losing their doctors when DPS pondered ending its 52 year relationship with Kaiser Permanente.
—Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
Moe pondered this for half a second.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
Verb
-
By contrast, the SAVE America Act, as contemplated by the president, would ban most forms of mail voting and require photo ID and proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Barry said that the landowners contemplated building a combination gas station/convenience store, but the property wasn’t quite large enough.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Congress anticipated those rising costs and debated extending the enhanced premium tax credits toward the end of last year.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Why the Rooney Rule is being debated The Rooney Rule is again under scrutiny after Florida Republican attorney general James Uthmeier sent NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a letter earlier this month calling for the policy to be scrapped.—
Mac Engel
March 30,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While representing the southwest Salt Lake Valley and parts of deep-red Utah County in the former 4th district, he was considered the most conservative House Democrat during his single term by one analysis, before losing reelection to a Republican.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Widely considered one of the best comedy clubs in the country, if not the best.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To test human reactions to sycophantic AI, researchers studied the reactions of just overn2,400 human participants interacting with AI.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Nagarjuna had studied the story of the saint-composer from school textbooks – the king who imprisoned him, the sealed chamber with an opening only at the top through which he was fed.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The kids' menu is tempting for adults and youngsters alike, and if in doubt, a ride in the golf carts that come with each villa will be more than enough to keep everyone entertained.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The placemats themselves are designed to be super-portable in their pack and carry bag, so kids can easily carry them out for dinner and stay entertained.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Conservative influencers, among others, blasted the turnabout and questioned Bondi’s capability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In a playful bit, Mandel sat down on the podcast wearing an obvious wig, only to jokingly storm off set after Bush questioned his appearance.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump has also reportedly weighed the option of sending in ground forces to seize Kharg Island, a major fuel hub that facilitates 90% of Iran’s crude exports.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In 1945, the average American male weighed between 160 and 170 pounds, while the average female weighed between 130 and 145 pounds.—
Bob Rommel,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wilzig became a dedicated collector, author and lecturer, eventually amassing thousands of pieces that explored human sexuality across cultures and centuries.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The city has since explored smaller buyouts in places that flood repeatedly, including the Jewel Streets neighborhood, also known as the Hole, at the Brooklyn-Queens border.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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