as in contemplates
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 ponders
As coach John Hynes ponders his Game 1 starter, the recent numbers will show that Wallstedt has allowed a total of four goals in his final two regular-season starts, while veteran Filip Gustavsson has been touched for 10 in the same span.
—
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2026
While Heinrich ponders the misfiring neurons in the brain of a mass shooter, Jack’s pursuit of Mink—a character whose skin color and ambiguous ethnicity Jack remarks on repeatedly—leads him directly into the urban teeth of the War on Drugs.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Who ever ponders the conveniences of that 20th century innovation, the airplane, that makes 21st century hustle possible?
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Who ever ponders the conveniences of that 20th-century innovation, the airplane, that makes 21st-century hustle possible?
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
That novel ponders the problem of a great artist, or someone we’re invited to believe is a great artist, tangled in the moral compromises of making art under the conditions of the Third Reich.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
The new season of The Comeback arrives in 2026, perhaps the most perilous time Hollywood has ever faced as the town anxiously ponders how AI might shape, or decimate, the industry in the coming years.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Derek’s mother-in-law visits, and Paul ponders his legacy.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026
Expect a meditative film that ponders big issues with a poet-like touch.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2026
While Heinrich ponders the misfiring neurons in the brain of a mass shooter, Jack’s pursuit of Mink—a character whose skin color and ambiguous ethnicity Jack remarks on repeatedly—leads him directly into the urban teeth of the War on Drugs.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Who ever ponders the conveniences of that 20th century innovation, the airplane, that makes 21st century hustle possible?
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Who ever ponders the conveniences of that 20th-century innovation, the airplane, that makes 21st-century hustle possible?
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
That novel ponders the problem of a great artist, or someone we’re invited to believe is a great artist, tangled in the moral compromises of making art under the conditions of the Third Reich.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
The new season of The Comeback arrives in 2026, perhaps the most perilous time Hollywood has ever faced as the town anxiously ponders how AI might shape, or decimate, the industry in the coming years.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, Derek’s mother-in-law visits, and Paul ponders his legacy.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026
Expect a meditative film that ponders big issues with a poet-like touch.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponders
Verb
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Jessie Buckley stars as the Young Woman — her name and occupation changing frequently — who contemplates ending her seven-week relationship during a Thanksgiving trip to meet her boyfriend Jake's (Jesse Plemons) parents at their farmhouse.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, Connor contemplates revisiting an old relationship.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ashley considers calling her mom but decides not to.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
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That this stalemate has dragged on this long has infuriated Levin, who considers keeping the government functioning a basic tenet of Congress’s job.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With delicate humor and heartfelt moments, this bittersweet class-comedy entertains while provoking thought about our ability to live together and create meaningful connections.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
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This style of theater both enlightens and entertains, each actor stepping out of the ensemble inside Kelleher’s direction that teeters on the edge of heavy-handidness without ever getting there.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Curriculum debates crop up occasionally.—
Heather Hollingsworth,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Curriculum debates crop up occasionally.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ponders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponders. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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