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 economic council said the public funding contemplated in its plan would not affect the city’s general fund or require a vote by taxpayers.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 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
-
Knowing the basics of biomarkers, PSMA and PSMA-PET scans can help caregivers ask informed questions, participate more confidently in treatment discussions and ensure that every appropriate option is being considered.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
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
-
Tosy Flying Disc Keep teens entertained with this high-tech, glowing frisbee for backyard games, park hangs, or to break out at a party.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Learn how feudal lords once dined and entertained in this historic setting.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Bay Area schools were again at the forefront of a national debate over parental rights and LGBTQ+ issues Wednesday as Congressional Republicans questioned San Francisco’s schools chief on transgender student policies, ethnic studies and how much say parents should have over classroom instruction.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
-
During the test, Kourtney questioned Khloé about why True doesn't get to stay overnight at her house.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The champagne bottles were popping Tuesday at the dock in Morehead City, North Carolina, where a crew of fishermen brought in the biggest billfish ever weighed at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
-
Using thousands of children’s brain scans, the scientists made maps of each child’s brain function and structure and then weighed them against 649 variables.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
11 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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