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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
French authorities arrested a 27-year-old Tunisian man last Thursday for allegedly planning a terrorist attack at the Louvre in Paris.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
12 May 2026
-
Several news outlets reported that Makary resigned on Tuesday, which followed days of reporting that the White House was planning to fire him.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
12 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
-
Investigators say Wilson entered through an open garage door intending to steal, but instead encountered Abghari inside.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
Under the system, vessels intending to pass through the strait will receive guidance from an official email address outlining the rules for transit.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The exchanges grew increasingly heated as Pratt repeatedly attacked Raman’s homelessness proposals, prompting Raman to accuse Pratt and Bass of focusing more on attacking her than debating one another.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
The trial over Pitt's allegations of Jolie's breach of contract is scheduled to begin sometime in 2027, with Pitt and Jolie still debating on an exact start date.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
6 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
-
Then again, the protagonist might be Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a former farm boy studying at the same school in 1972.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Thorsen helped lead research for the CDC studying infant disabilities, according to prosecutors.—
Sasha Pezenik,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
At a recent town hall, that concern was raised directly, The Phoenix reported, with some alumni and community members questioning whether removing Trotter’s name constitutes revisionism.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
She was criticized publicly by some colleagues as well anonymous government officials who were quoted in Israeli and international media questioning her motives.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contemplating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplating. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
