as in contemplates
to give serious and careful thought to
I'm pondering whether or not I should join another committee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Vieira ponders the dilemma from his own perspective as a coach, having had spells in charge at New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg and Genoa.
—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
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
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponders
Verb
-
The agreement contemplates beginning the design phase of the new stations while the arbitration is ongoing.
-
It’s been a long time since Steven Spielberg directed a film as quintessentially Spielbergian as Disclosure Day, which contemplates how humankind might react to proof that extraterrestrial life exists.
Verb
-
Kane considers himself in the same tier as those strikers and said he couldn’t be outdone in his own opener.
-
Graves said law enforcement considers Sanchez-Munoz armed and dangerous.
Verb
-
For Rodriguez, the property represents the realization of a childhood dream that shaped not only the architecture of the home but also how the couple entertains and lives.
-
Moe entertains far grander dreams.
Verb
-
But also debates within the Labour Party, the state of the polls, the development of public opinion, and the success or otherwise of the government in generating growth by other means.
-
The big story While Hollywood continues to work out how best to use AI and debates its effect on jobs, filmmakers in India — the world’s most prolific movie production industry — have taken the next step.
Cite this Entry
“Ponders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponders. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
