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
Advertisement China has long pondered surgical strikes against Taiwan’s leadership, though any such move is likely to be self-defeating, given the island is a sustained democracy.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Early in their planning for the trip to Alaska, the couple pondered taking a cruise.
—Madison Beveridge, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Back in the Baros’ room, the family pondered who would give Drew his first cookie someday.
—Mindy Schauer, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Through the millennia, some of the top philosophical and mathematical minds of their day turned their attention to the concept, pondered it at length, and inevitably gave it up.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
An engrossing page-turner that can be casually enjoyed or deeply pondered, the brilliant debut Great Black Hope announces Rob Franklin as an author to watch.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
Tight end Adam Trautman took a deep breath and pondered the question posed by a reporter in the postgame locker room Thursday night.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
Researchers pondered what the gargantuan black hole consumed to release such a powerful flare.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
The Athletic’s Mike Jones recently wondered if Miami had to go on a postseason run to save McDaniel’s job, and CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz pondered during the Chiefs-Raiders game whether there would soon be news out of Miami.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Early in their planning for the trip to Alaska, the couple pondered taking a cruise.
—Madison Beveridge, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Back in the Baros’ room, the family pondered who would give Drew his first cookie someday.
—Mindy Schauer, Oc Register, 4 Dec. 2025
Through the millennia, some of the top philosophical and mathematical minds of their day turned their attention to the concept, pondered it at length, and inevitably gave it up.
—Big Think, 25 Nov. 2025
An engrossing page-turner that can be casually enjoyed or deeply pondered, the brilliant debut Great Black Hope announces Rob Franklin as an author to watch.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
Tight end Adam Trautman took a deep breath and pondered the question posed by a reporter in the postgame locker room Thursday night.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
Researchers pondered what the gargantuan black hole consumed to release such a powerful flare.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
The Athletic’s Mike Jones recently wondered if Miami had to go on a postseason run to save McDaniel’s job, and CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz pondered during the Chiefs-Raiders game whether there would soon be news out of Miami.
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
Verb
-
Hadn’t really contemplated it — was doing a bunch of other things.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
-
To that point, the settlement attempts to correct an economic harm and cannot address possible harms that are contemplated by other areas of law.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The airstrikes were not authorized by Congress, and their legality has been debated.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Regardless of political party or ideology, Americans have the right to witness important issues like crime and drugs debated in an open and fair forum.—
Richard Cherwitz,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Julann Carney, a Realtor and property manager in Sherwood, said the plans for the money raised by the bonds are ill considered and add too much to the bills of residents.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Nov. 2025
-
When Laughton was elected as a state representative in 2012, she was considered to be the first openly transgender person elected to a state legislature.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The science specialist university, together with Jabra, studied how voice technology will impact the future of work, and the scientists predicted that by 2028, voice AI will become the default way of working.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Sold to Menemsha, studied in its craft, genuinely tense and gorgeously shot, highlighting the heavenly mountains and a historical hell.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Much of that extra time was spent setting the stage for the next performance, but there was plenty to keep guests entertained between takes.—
Patrick Gomez,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
-
In between performances, while the crew was breaking down and setting up on stage, there was a lovely MC keeping the crowd entertained.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When the deputy questioned Rustrian, the scuffle began, the source told CBS.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Stokes recently came under fire after several viral social media posts questioned her legal qualifications and reported connection to Second Chance Services, a mental health and addiction clinic in Charlotte.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The sheriff’s office voluntarily released some documents and video to Cal-OSHA amid late-December court hearings that weighed the sheriff’s request to reject the subpoenas for interviews and documents against Cal-OSHA’s request to uphold them.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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In doing so, the Cuban government creates a harmful imbalance in how these two dimensions are described and weighed.—
Ricardo Torres,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Isola and others explored one such training scheme in a recent paper.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Through a series of interviews with longtime KC residents such as Alvin Brooks, Banks explored the history and future of Dunbar, once a vibrant neighborhood.—
Mara Williams,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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