1
as in meditation
long or deep thinking about spiritual matters the decision to enter a monastery and to spend one's life in prayer and contemplation

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2
as in anticipation
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence in contemplation of their children's college expenses, they started saving early

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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 contemplation The addition of chain-of-thought type reasoning is an attempt to allow contemplation but, as mentioned above, this is still just a statistical approach, exploring multiple paths with different probabilities before rendering an answer. Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025 The words in the video montages and the quiet periods of contemplation as supporters, some with tears in their eyes, struggle to pull themselves away from their seats. Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 19 May 2025 For those who are so inclined, combining daily self-reflection with meditative experiences such as attending retreats invites contemplation of deeper spiritual or existential questions. Harry Kraemer, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025 After two days of contemplation and balloting, a new Pope has been elected. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for contemplation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplation
Noun
  • In addition, there will be a huge selection of wellness sessions led by international Alo instructors, including meditation, Pilates, outdoor strength workouts and sound healing.
    Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Many traditional gyms have social perks like steam rooms and saunas, and plenty of local yoga studios (like Khali or Charlotte Yoga) offer everything from meditation to deep stretch classes.
    Sunny Hubler, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • How do the insidious forms of censorship, their anticipation and reiteration, affect your mind and its ironies?
    Cindy Juyoung Ok June 26, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
  • In Venice, Italy, Jeff Bezos and bride-to-be Lauren Sánchez arrive in style in anticipation for their wedding.
    Grace Harrington, People.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • That word—entitled—is frequently thrown around to insult this generation, but there are some cases in which the unabashed expectation of fair treatment is a clear source of strength.
    Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
  • For example, Mahan had enough votes to push his budget proposal forward this year, which included the controversial Responsibility to Shelter proposal that creates an expectation for homeless residents to come indoors when there is available shelter or face potential arrest.
    Devan Patel, Mercury News, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contemplation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplation. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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