as in contemplation
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as in contemplating
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 pondering
Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Gary Thuerk, of the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), was pondering how to advertise upcoming demonstrations in California of his company’s latest computers.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Children’s Hospital Colorado suspended those services in January; that decision was upheld by a state judge, but the Colorado Supreme Court is pondering whether to order the services to resume.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
The medical drama's season 2 finale ended on a cliffhanger Thursday, April 16, with Wyle's character pondering a three-month sabbatical and a motorcycle ride across the country.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
And while that tie will be one many neutrals will enjoy and look forward to, Real Madrid will be left spending the final weeks before the season ends pondering what needs to change to reign across Europe for an unprecedented 16th time.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
With the war in Iran creating a shortage of the fuel and fertilizer that farmers across Asia need to plant and harvest rice, many smallholders are seeking alternative supplies or pondering whether to plant at all.
—Yang Yang, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
Leaders and others in these communities have often spoken out against violence as a solution, while warning that pondering existential and nightmarish scenarios can overwhelm and destabilize vulnerable people.
—St. John Barned-Smith, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Apr. 2026
And maybe one of those records was… The bard of New England dares to get meaningful on this two-part song, which begins by pondering the mysteries of time and ends with a singalong ode to seasonal renewal.
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
All 50 years of craft, thought, thematic pondering — everything.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
The two-term governor, who is seeking a third term in November while pondering a potential 2028 White House bid, is viewed favorably by 68% of Chicagoans and unfavorably by 20%.
—Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Gary Thuerk, of the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), was pondering how to advertise upcoming demonstrations in California of his company’s latest computers.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Children’s Hospital Colorado suspended those services in January; that decision was upheld by a state judge, but the Colorado Supreme Court is pondering whether to order the services to resume.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
The medical drama's season 2 finale ended on a cliffhanger Thursday, April 16, with Wyle's character pondering a three-month sabbatical and a motorcycle ride across the country.
—Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
And while that tie will be one many neutrals will enjoy and look forward to, Real Madrid will be left spending the final weeks before the season ends pondering what needs to change to reign across Europe for an unprecedented 16th time.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
With the war in Iran creating a shortage of the fuel and fertilizer that farmers across Asia need to plant and harvest rice, many smallholders are seeking alternative supplies or pondering whether to plant at all.
—Yang Yang, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
Leaders and others in these communities have often spoken out against violence as a solution, while warning that pondering existential and nightmarish scenarios can overwhelm and destabilize vulnerable people.
—St. John Barned-Smith, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 Apr. 2026
And maybe one of those records was… The bard of New England dares to get meaningful on this two-part song, which begins by pondering the mysteries of time and ends with a singalong ode to seasonal renewal.
—Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondering
Noun
-
True to its intent, this restaurant is indeed a calm yet joy-evoking space for quiet contemplation.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Internal memos between the justices in 2016 published by The New York Times have created a firestorm around an institution that takes extraordinary measures to keep its contemplations confidential.—
Ella Lee,
The Hill,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Many companies have filed lawsuits seeking refunds and companies are contemplating the impact this would have on shareholders.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
California is contemplating a one-time, 5 percent levy on the state’s billionaires—200 or so people in a population of 40 million.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mercury in your 12th House of Reflection brings up thoughts that need processing before being shared.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Want to stay up to date on IndieWire’s film reviews and critical thoughts?—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But debating such topics is the lifeblood of the draft, which manufactures would-be experts for the kind of second-guessing that helps fuel rampant and often inaccurate speculation.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
-
While Shug’s Bagels owner and founder Justin Shugrue is originally from New York, don't waste your time debating whether or not Shug's makes New York-style bagels.—
Nathanael Gassett,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The classes will include outdoors runs, strength, cardio, yoga and meditation but will not include workouts on the Peloton bike.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
-
She’s written about everything from orgasmic meditation cults to the racist origins of the pandemic.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Safety and Clinic Standards Safety is often one of the first concerns people have when considering treatment abroad.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Van Bendegem, who would become a leading scholar on ultrafinitist logic, later addressed these concerns by considering a geometry in which a line or curve has width and is both finite and finitely divisible.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Climate is also a consideration, the researchers said, as the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions are less at risk of hurricanes, flooding and wildfires that have increased property insurance costs and sometimes affected property values in other parts of the country.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
-
If a board chooses to install monitoring cameras, what considerations might be considered?—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Limon was studying geography, environmental science and policy, and Bristy was studying chemical engineering.—
Mike Schneider,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Bristy was studying chemical engineering.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pondering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondering. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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