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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contemplating
Much of that was forged alongside Serena, the winningest women’s player ever with 23 grand slam singles titles who may also be contemplating her own return to tennis.
—
Jay Plotkin, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
There’s Amber Glenn, a 26-year-old powerhouse and LGBTQ+ rights activist whose career took off just when most figure skaters are contemplating retirement.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
However, when contemplating the share of houses not occupied by their owners, investors dominate some of California’s most lightly populated counties.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Whitney is gazing into the middle distance, contemplating a runner on a Lithuanian passport, when Ferdinand blows the world of season four apart.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
There’s Amber Glenn, a 26-year-old powerhouse and LGBTQ+ rights activist whose career took off just when most figure skaters are contemplating retirement.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Despite contemplating retirement, Hill plans to play in 2026.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
I'mPhaedra Trethan, contemplating a guilty pleasure.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Collecting vinyl, clubbing at Berghain, contemplating polyamory—this is cool.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Jay Plotkin, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
There’s Amber Glenn, a 26-year-old powerhouse and LGBTQ+ rights activist whose career took off just when most figure skaters are contemplating retirement.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
However, when contemplating the share of houses not occupied by their owners, investors dominate some of California’s most lightly populated counties.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
Whitney is gazing into the middle distance, contemplating a runner on a Lithuanian passport, when Ferdinand blows the world of season four apart.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
There’s Amber Glenn, a 26-year-old powerhouse and LGBTQ+ rights activist whose career took off just when most figure skaters are contemplating retirement.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Despite contemplating retirement, Hill plans to play in 2026.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
I'mPhaedra Trethan, contemplating a guilty pleasure.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026
Collecting vinyl, clubbing at Berghain, contemplating polyamory—this is cool.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplating
Verb
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Seven years ago, Williams was sitting in his bed in his New York studio apartment, eating pizza out of the box and pondering where to take his career.—
Tara Larson,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Authorities spent nearly two weeks combing the southern Arizona landscape, sorting through doorbell footage, pondering what could have happened to the mother of three.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Over the next few years, Connecticut Water is planning 26 projects around the state targeting PFAS filtration to meet the new EPA regulations by the 2029 deadline.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Be sure to check out our guide to checking the safety of eclipse glasses, along with our top 10 tips for planning your 2026 solar eclipse trip.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The question was about the student section’s harassment of former Spartan Xavier Booker, which seemed like a legitimate query considering Booker had a terrible game.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
From an outside lens, Norway’s lack of hockey success doesn’t make much sense, especially considering its status in other winter sports.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Athlete Spotlight Vladyslav Heraskevych, the Ukrainian skeleton pilot, arrived at the Olympics intending to compete with a helmet that sparked lots of conversation.—
The Sports Desk,
NBC news,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Without intending, even as the Vietnam War lingered on and the national mood was grim, halftime became classic Americana, a telling mixture of self-parody and pride.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The union is actively in talks with city staff as of Thursday and is debating a recent offer.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The announcement was made Wednesday at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where leading tech executives, government officials and AI researchers are debating how to use AI to solve real-world problems.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Investigators are now looking into the cause of the explosion, the report said without giving further details.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
-
With two veterans gone, Coach Tyronn Lue will be looking deeper down the bench for help, especially late in games.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the time of his death, he was focused on studying comets and astroids that could pose a hazard to Earth.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Hassan Herzallah is a Palestinian storyteller, writer, and translator based in Gaza, currently in his fourth year studying English translation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Public speakers echoed those concerns, questioning the district’s transparency and warning that additional reductions would further strain school communities.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Now, members of Congress have another shot at questioning Wexner, who is 88 years old.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contemplating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplating. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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