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
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bilson and Bethel pondered where their characters’ relationship stands today.
—
Selena Schorken, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 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
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
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
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
Ikumelo pondered for a moment and went for Keke Palmer, star of Hustlers and Pimp.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
In January, after its release, Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo pondered legal action against Netflix about the city’s negative portrayal.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Jim Cramer pondered whether to sell some Corning shares after the stock’s 130% year-to-date run.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 11 May 2026
Selena Schorken, Entertainment Weekly, 11 June 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
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
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
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
Ikumelo pondered for a moment and went for Keke Palmer, star of Hustlers and Pimp.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
In January, after its release, Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo pondered legal action against Netflix about the city’s negative portrayal.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
Jim Cramer pondered whether to sell some Corning shares after the stock’s 130% year-to-date run.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
Verb
-
Cathy, a housewife, had contemplated becoming a teacher, Griffin told me.—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
The landowners contemplated building a combination gas station/convenience store, but the property wasn’t quite large enough, Barry said.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Fans debated score predictions, discussed players and shared hopes that Algeria could upset the defending world champions.—
J.M. Banks
June 15,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
After someone blew a hole in the Nord Stream Pipeline deep under the Baltic Sea in September 2022, the global media debated a geopolitical whodunnit.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias also is widely considered to be preparing a run for mayor.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
Tatum is now healthy, and the Celtics — the 2024 NBA champions — are considered one of the favorites to trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Alison Wood Brooks, a behavioral research scientist and professor at Harvard Business School, has studied pre-performance anxiety and the science of communication.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Why Creatine Powder Still Leads on Research The science backing creatine powder is deeper, simply because it’s been studied for decades.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Year-round programming adapts to the seasons, with both kids' and teen programs ensuring young travelers are entertained while adults relax with activities, spa treatments, or quiet meals.—
Chelsea Adams,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
Chicago Fire inflatables were set up on the pitch alongside all kinds of activities to keep kids entertained.—
Noel Brennan,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The driver involved was a 22-year-old Martinez man driving a 2013 Volkswagen Passat and he was questioned and released, the Marin IJ reported.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
Big tech and corporate spies Grady’s stewardship of state money has been questioned in the past.—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Among the tackles who have been weighed at the NFL Combine, none in the last nine years stepped on the scale lighter than 290 pounds.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
-
As the Justice Department weighed approval, a coalition of states led by California are preparing a lawsuit to block the deal that’s expected to be filed within a month.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Researchers explored the remains during multiple deep-sea submersible trips in 2023, collecting samples and mapping the extent of the necropolis.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
The researchers explored how to grow grass in indoor stadiums that lack plant-sustaining sunlight, collecting data in a shade structure FIFA constructed at the University of Tennessee to replicate conditions of a domed stadium.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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