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
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
Charles Lee pondered his answer for a split second.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2025
Many pondered what McDavid, many who believe is the NHL’s best player, would do.
—Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Jason briefly pondered Travis’ stats for games during his birthday week, but his younger brother wasn’t having it.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
In her conversation with Interview, Peters pondered whether the next Great American Novelist could be trans.
—Grace Byron, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
National media and pundits pondered why a team would sell off Alan Pulido a year after signing him to a large extension and not commit to William Agada as the starter, as the two had somewhat similar chance and shot-creation numbers in 2024.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Amid these non-Radiohead releases, fans have pondered Radiohead’s future, particularly after Yorke spoke to Australia’s Double J in October 2024 and addressed the speculation.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
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
Charles Lee pondered his answer for a split second.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2025
Many pondered what McDavid, many who believe is the NHL’s best player, would do.
—Greg Liodice, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
Jason briefly pondered Travis’ stats for games during his birthday week, but his younger brother wasn’t having it.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
In her conversation with Interview, Peters pondered whether the next Great American Novelist could be trans.
—Grace Byron, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
National media and pundits pondered why a team would sell off Alan Pulido a year after signing him to a large extension and not commit to William Agada as the starter, as the two had somewhat similar chance and shot-creation numbers in 2024.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
Amid these non-Radiohead releases, fans have pondered Radiohead’s future, particularly after Yorke spoke to Australia’s Double J in October 2024 and addressed the speculation.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
Verb
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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
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The idea of even having to make a decision like the one being contemplated in Dynamite is so difficult that most presidents would prefer not think about it until absolutely necessary.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Though the Maldives is the first country to enact such a ban, similar proposals have been debated – and nearly imposed – in other parts of the world.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Williams, an undersized combo forward who carves out space at will and debated turning pro after a first-team All-Big-12 campaign last year, will be the fulcrum of everything after transferring from Texas Tech.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Moore said that while any and all legal options will be considered, the group's main focus will be on advocacy for pretrial services and other programming that can keep people out of jail.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Those employees are considered essential and have continued working without pay.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Early on, the larvae are very tiny and at the mercy of sea currents, explains Pruett, who has studied them in the lab.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The researchers studied 1,591 individuals as part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a cohort that studied children born in 1997 and 1998 through age 23.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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These are heavy topics in a time when people just want to watch the show and be entertained.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The production draws on a long history of curiosity amusements in which people looked to be entertained by viewing others with unusual or non-normative bodies, especially in nineteenth-century Western circus and dime museums.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In fact, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of horror stories circulating across Facebook, Reddit, and other platforms about individuals being questioned at check-in by airline agents or, worse, denied entry altogether.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
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McKesson never questioned her genetics – or considered 23andMe – until a team of surgeons performed an urgent, open-heart procedure in 2022 to remove clots from her heart and lungs.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This practice had its own history, another tributary to the overshoot conjuncture that weighed heavily on its future course.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
There were ballot proposals in the county to be weighed, and treasurers to be chosen.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Fellow Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb was available, too, and the Ravens explored that option.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
5 Nov. 2025
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Yet, despite his pedigree and the spotlight that comes with being Deion Sanders’ son, Cleveland has seemingly explored every other option to jump-start the offense.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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