pondered

verb

past tense of ponder
as in contemplated
to give serious and careful thought to I'm pondering whether or not I should join another committee

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 pondered Season 2 continues this thread, and Hely pondered the sense of exhaustion about living in this corporate world. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 25 June 2026 Last week began in a slump as investors pondered whether memory chip maker Micron would show sustained demand in its earnings report. — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Later, Neill pondered whether he might be considered a victim of abuse due to the Polish director’s practices. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 24 June 2026 Sources at other clubs, including some who have worked with Emery previously, routinely pondered his future, irrespective of success. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 May 2026 Democrats for years pondered using regulatory pressure to silence purveyors of right-wing talk radio, including the late Rush Limbaugh. — Editorial, Boston Herald, 23 May 2026 Plunkett, with the Norman Rockwell Museum, pondered whether Americans viewing the painting today would find a familiar feeling. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 June 2026 Lambert's problem was first posed all the way back in the 1700s by the Swiss polymath Johann Heinrich Lambert, who pondered how to find the optimal trajectory between two moving objects. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 May 2026 Board member Michael Milani pondered failed efforts to attract corporate headquarters and office spaces to the I-80 corridor, saying the village likely needed to establish a new identity for the area amid the post-COVID-19 surge in people working from home. — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
  1. contemplated
  2. debated
  3. considered
  4. studied
  5. entertained
  6. questioned
  7. weighed
  8. explored
Verb
  • The story includes messages referring to the incident sent by Racicot two years later, before Platner contemplated running for office.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
  • Emergency experts working day and night contemplated various entry and exit routes from the nearest accessible access point, about 75 feet away from where Gil was trapped.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of contemplated
Verb
  • Georgia’s most influential dishes could be debated vigorously, but there’s no question that food has been an integral part of the South’s culture.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 4 July 2026
  • Roberts noted that race and citizenship had been fiercely debated in courts, speeches, Congress and battlefields because of Black Americans’ fight for freedom from slavery.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of debated
Verb
  • In fact, the idea of splitting atoms for propulsion and power was being seriously considered almost as soon as the first atomic explosions were made public.
    — David Szondy July 07, New Atlas, 8 July 2026
  • In 2023, California regulators levied more than $100,000 in fines against the private operator of a federal immigration facility, kicking off a three-year battle over whether detainees who do work at the facilities should be considered employees.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of considered
Verb
  • Between 2019 and 2024, home values grew faster than incomes for young adults in 142 of 160 metropolitan areas Pew studied.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Beyond that, look for someone who has done the work, not just studied it.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of studied
Verb
  • Mexico returned from halftime with great momentum in front of a crowd that had been entertained at halftime by the Mexican band Maná.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City was a Jersey Shore landmark that entertained families for decades.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of entertained
Verb
  • Asked about the impact of successor Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence, Kamrava questioned the official explanation of security concerns, especially given the public appearance of other senior figures, and pointed to previous reports of his injury.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • His behavior under stress is dangerous to his officers and crew, and his authority is questioned.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
Definition of questioned
Verb
  • Taft, who was the 27th president and nearly 6 feet tall, weighed around 300 pounds, according to the Supreme Court of Ohio.
    — Emily Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
  • Casper O'Brien, 7, weighed 255 pounds at the time of his death, police said.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of weighed
Verb
  • The Lewis and Clark expedition explored the Louisiana Purchase.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Many works around the country explored new electronic music technology.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of explored

Browse Nearby Words

ponderable
pondered
pondering
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pondered

Nglish: Translation of pondered for Spanish Speakers

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