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
  • 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
  • The remainder of the novel transforms into a kind of horror film of its own as Maya contemplates a prison sentence in a Russian penal colony where conditions are unsanitary, frigid, and inhumane.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Jan Steyn considers the literary lessons of gout.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
  • With misinformation rife and many turning to alternative sources for their news, politics and history fixes, the BBC is faced with a significant challenge, and big ticket swings such as today’s commissions are what the broadcaster considers its answer.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 12 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
  • Instead, Europe often debates sovereignty while buying dependency.
    Wolfgang Oels, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Springfield too often debates theory while communities experience consequences.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ponders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ponders. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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