ponders

Definition of pondersnext
present tense third-person singular of ponder

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ponders 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 While Raspadori ponders whether to accept Roma’s offer and leave Atletico just six months after his move to Spain from Napoli, Gasperini has to make do-and-mend. James Horncastle, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026 Gazing out the window on approach to Salt Lake City’s sprawling semi-new international transportation edifice, Lamar Skeeter ponders his trail mirroring the rugged terrain surrounding the area below. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 Jan. 2026 Roberts doesn’t offer much empathy for the poor, diseased critter other than a pause when Ben momentarily ponders his reflection in a pool as Adrian Johnston’s eerie synth-piano score tinkles. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026 Small businesses throughout the Golden State, especially those in rural or underserved communities, are on pins and needles as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ponders Verizon’s acquisition of Frontier. Javier Palomarez, Sacbee.com, 19 Dec. 2025 The difference between these two performances makes the romance even more unbelievable, as the audience ponders what this seemingly confident woman sees in this immature putz. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Dec. 2025 Baby ponders love in all its rejuvenating and off-putting shapes, sweating with a husband and father’s devotion but sometimes with a son’s pining for a closer connection with an oaklike and unreadable elder. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponders
Verb
  • Their bond, forged by the exotic nature of their remote landscape, begins to change as Lily enters her teenage years and Bodhi contemplates friendship and family beyond his reptilian counterparts.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The initiative contemplates the creation of a Guatemalan Film Institute, a Film Promotion Fund, a Film Commission operating as a one-stop shop for international productions, a National Cinematheque and a National Higher School of Cinema, among others.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Japan considers China a growing security threat and has pushed a military buildup on southwestern islands near the East China Sea.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Other provisions would bolster court oversight of settlements, as well as strengthen the ability of state attorneys general to weigh in as a judge considers whether to sign off on an agreement.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Take the quiz here … EGG DROP — Chef entertains food festival crowd with unexpected crack.
    , FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Dallas is $5 million behind on sales tax revenue, adding pressure as the city debates whether to repair or relocate its nearly 50-year-old City Hall.
    Everton Bailey Jr, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Instead, Europe often debates sovereignty while buying dependency.
    Wolfgang Oels, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ponders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponders. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

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