as in introspection
examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
she doesn't seem to see the difference between a reasonable amount of self-contemplation and total self-absorption
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Recent Examples of self-contemplation
After the eclipse wraps, the Sun doubles down on the compulsion toward self-contemplation in partnership with Lilith.
—
Jennifer Culp, Them, 27 Sep. 2024
Missing from the fair but important nonetheless is Hsiao Chin, the first and only post-war Chinese artist to convey Eastern philosophical ideas and the concepts of mindfulness and self-contemplation in the Western pictorial language of abstraction.
—Florence Tsai, Forbes, 26 Mar. 2023
Jennifer Culp, Them, 27 Sep. 2024
Missing from the fair but important nonetheless is Hsiao Chin, the first and only post-war Chinese artist to convey Eastern philosophical ideas and the concepts of mindfulness and self-contemplation in the Western pictorial language of abstraction.
—Florence Tsai, Forbes, 26 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-contemplation
Noun
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In addition to fortune-telling, Waite’s deck emphasized spiritual development and introspection.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
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What Else…What Else…with Michael Cruz Kayne—Get ready for a unique blend of hilarity and introspection as Audible presents a live episode featuring the talented comedian Michael Cruz Kayne and special guest comedian, Chloe Radcliffe.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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An episodic framework, physical comedy, a small ensemble of actors who are all at home in their clowns and who will all, at some point, drop the mask to speak to us as themselves — for Ogawa, these are ways to bring effervescence and intimacy to the contemplation of insoluble, heavy things.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2026
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It was written after his father died from COVID, and as a contemplation of racial disparities in society.—
Adam Bell
February 24,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The purpose of this exercise is not to match your paradigm perfectly but to give you a thematic lens for self-observation.—
Liz Tran,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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There are three invitations leaders can offer their direct reports: Play with the technology as a tool for self-observation.—
Michael Hudson,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Its release coincides with the start of the Christian season of Lent, a period of repentance, self-reflection and resistance to temptation.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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The holiday marks the start of Lent, which is the 40-day period of fasting, prayer and self-reflection leading up to Easter.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In an era where analytics and ever-growing coaching staffs allow teams to self-scout every week, the Patriots seem to have taken a more traditional approach and decided on a makeover after a self-examination last month during their bye.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
17 Jan. 2026
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Some time spent in self-examination could yield new insights.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And for all the soul-searching and probing, Conrad is well aware that kink can lead to comedy—up to a point.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
22 Jan. 2026
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There is no way to tackle these questions without deep reflection and a great deal of soul-searching.—
Kenneth Seeskin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-contemplation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-contemplation. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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