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
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
My trusty spreadsheet pondered data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
The philosopher Biggie Smalls once pondered the nature of dangerously escalating rivalries.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Standing alone in a Swedish laundromat, Alfie Whiteman set a 10-second timer on his camera and pondered what to do next.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Local leaders have pondered a wide-ranging possibility of future uses for the property, from textile manufacturing to education to retail.
—Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon pondered in a press statement.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 1 Apr. 2026
Someone who has pondered such niceties is Richard Posner, a former circuit judge and a prolific legal scholar.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
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
My trusty spreadsheet pondered data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 8 May 2026
The philosopher Biggie Smalls once pondered the nature of dangerously escalating rivalries.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Standing alone in a Swedish laundromat, Alfie Whiteman set a 10-second timer on his camera and pondered what to do next.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Local leaders have pondered a wide-ranging possibility of future uses for the property, from textile manufacturing to education to retail.
—Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Converge vocalist Jacob Bannon pondered in a press statement.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 1 Apr. 2026
Someone who has pondered such niceties is Richard Posner, a former circuit judge and a prolific legal scholar.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondered
Verb
-
Nearly every day this offseason, Turner contemplated his baseball mortality.—
Sam Blum,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Imagine, for a moment, if former Vice President Kamala Harris had jumped into the governor’s race, as contemplated.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
For four hours, the group of artists laughed, drank, and debated their position in the rapidly shifting cultural landscape.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
18 May 2026
-
Ted would tell authorities a story that would be discussed and debated for years.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Yara considered following the stars, but knowing which way was north didn’t necessarily mean that north was the way to move.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
The new map retained only one district that would have been considered competitive in the 2024 presidential election.—
Ashley Wu,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The temporary rainwater ponds studied by Araújo’s team are critical breeding and development sites for multiple frog species.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
-
These supplements have been studied for mental health conditions, though not often in combination.—
Megan Nunn,
Verywell Health,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
There were people who understood and were entertained in a positive way.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
Download educational apps, road trip games or television shows to keep preschoolers entertained and tantrum-free with this kid-friendly Amazon Fire tablet.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
For years, athletes and parents who questioned transgender participation in women’s sports were often labeled transphobic.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Lawmakers at a recent hearing backed up clean energy advocates’ proposal, and questioned why the state would end a successful program in favor of one that has produced less energy capacity or has yet to be created.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
YouGov’s fine print notes that their survey was done online among nearly 3,000 adults, and explicitly weighed factors like age, race and education.—
Rachel Marsden,
Hartford Courant,
16 May 2026
-
The Steelers had reportedly expected Rodgers' decision at various points since the 2025 season ended, but Rodgers weighed his future in silence.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Composers from nineteen countries, ranging from Cuba and Brazil to Japan and South Korea, communally explored an inexhaustible continent of sound.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Cars are banned, so visitors get around on foot or by golf cart; however, the island is arguably best explored by boat.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pondered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondered. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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