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
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
While Blank ponders all of that, Atlanta’s players were left trying to figure out how to make the best out of their final five games.
—Josh Kendall, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Now, where there is a beautiful thing, there will be someone who ponders how it might be leveraged for their own benefit.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Wyn Baptiste An acclaimed photographer of street protests ponders the effectiveness of his work, even as his images provoke palpable international reactions.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
Still, no one is ever confirmed as being in the tomb, and Debbie even ponders whether or not Danny is really dead.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
Song broke out with her 2023 drama Past Lives, which follows a woman from Seoul, South Korea, who ponders her relationship with a childhood friend in the decades after her family immigrates to Canada and marries an American man in New York City.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
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
While Blank ponders all of that, Atlanta’s players were left trying to figure out how to make the best out of their final five games.
—Josh Kendall, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Now, where there is a beautiful thing, there will be someone who ponders how it might be leveraged for their own benefit.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Wyn Baptiste An acclaimed photographer of street protests ponders the effectiveness of his work, even as his images provoke palpable international reactions.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025
Still, no one is ever confirmed as being in the tomb, and Debbie even ponders whether or not Danny is really dead.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
Song broke out with her 2023 drama Past Lives, which follows a woman from Seoul, South Korea, who ponders her relationship with a childhood friend in the decades after her family immigrates to Canada and marries an American man in New York City.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ponders
Verb
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The judge emphasized that the contract contemplates subscribers as simply those who are authorized to obtain programming, including Dish’s free services.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
6 Jan. 2026
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As Notre Dame contemplates its relationship with the ACC after being left out of the College Football Playoff, head coach Marcus Freeman continues to be linked to openings in the NFL.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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While pros agree that granite as a whole is out, regardless of shade, designer Rebecca Ward considers brown granite to be the biggest offender color-wise.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
15 Jan. 2026
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The superintendent's proposal considers increasing class sizes for first through 12th grad to 25 students, with pre-k and kindergarten classes remaining the same.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Washington Post food critic Elazar Sontag entertains your restaurant questions, rants and raves.—
Elazar Sontag,
Washington Post,
14 Jan. 2026
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The episode delivers the cozy, inviting format fans love, giving viewers a closer look at how the Duchess of Sussex gets creative for the holidays, entertains, and cooks (not to mention what's in her winter wardrobe).—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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This lesson matters today as the international community debates the future of Venezuela.—
Rick Singh,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
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History debates The earlier 1870s period, when Levis Strauss and Jacob Davis patented the rivet, is an era in denim history which has many holes.—
Mohsin Sajid,
Sourcing Journal,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ponders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponders. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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