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
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The sequence left us pondering our pet cats and, for good measure, our worst selves.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
As Jeff Sanders wrote (here) on Thursday, the Padres are pondering a lot of different ways to deal with their starting pitching situation in the coming weeks.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
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
Noun
All 50 years of craft, thought, thematic pondering — everything.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
EBay’s board is now pondering GameStop’s offer.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 9 May 2026
The sequence left us pondering our pet cats and, for good measure, our worst selves.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
As Jeff Sanders wrote (here) on Thursday, the Padres are pondering a lot of different ways to deal with their starting pitching situation in the coming weeks.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondering
Noun
-
Selzer’s contemplations bring together literature, history, philosophy, medicine, and ruminations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
Gold can be one option worth serious contemplation right now.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
5 May 2026
Verb
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And after spending time contemplating addressing her aging skin, the time was right.—
Hedy Phillips,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
At the heart of the film, there are two young boys who are discovering their identity and their first love, and contemplating what to do with it.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The Sun forms a cazimi with Mercury in Taurus in your 12th House of Reflection, illuminating private thoughts, old patterns, and instincts that have been waiting underneath the noise.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
The thought of retaining a longtime customer without having to discipline a possibly difficult long-term employee may prove motivating.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Their days are spent swimming in the lake, picnicking by the beach and debating poetry and literature.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
One scene shows the crew in a garage deconstructing a surfboard and passionately debating where the fins should go.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The doctor starts with a panchakarma meditation session to determine what treatments your body needs.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 May 2026
-
Indeed, as a sobering meditation on the physical and psychological violence inflicted upon women in relationships, the alt-pop tale could never be described as a crowd-pleaser.—
Jon O'Brien,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Verb
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And half the conference isn't an exaggeration, considering Sankey's prior remarks.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
State lawmakers are considering legislation that would exempt from taxation 50% of the residential property owned by a fully disabled veteran, or 100% if their household income does not exceed $40,000.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The appeals court that ordered a trial court to reconsider Peters' sentence said the trial judge's consideration of her belief in the existence of 2020 election fraud went beyond what was relevant to sentencing her.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Individually, each of these proposals deserves serious public consideration.—
Luisa Veltmann,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 May 2026
Verb
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One way that astronomers determine the distance to an object in space is by studying its light.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
15 May 2026
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What began as a groundbreaking social experiment to see how a group of strangers could live together on an island for 39 days has gradually evolved into an intricate strategy game that superfans devote their lives to studying.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pondering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondering. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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