pondering 1 of 2

noun

as in contemplation

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pondering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of ponder
as in contemplating
to give serious and careful thought to I'm pondering whether or not I should join another committee

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pondering
Noun
All 50 years of craft, thought, thematic pondering — everything. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
Bravo is sipping its cuppa and pondering what to do about those interesting ladies across the pond. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 July 2026 Some viewers appear to enjoy seeing the princess in modern settings, pondering over what could have been if her life wasn't cut short. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Even the most technology-savvy leaders are still pondering and probing where the ceiling is in terms of containing agent sprawl and complexity. — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following Burnham’s special election victory. — Jill Lawless, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026 Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following Burnham's special election victory. — ABC News, 22 June 2026 For young Americans pondering the best educational and professional path, the stakes are high as AI increasingly impacts the job market. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 12 June 2026 And yes, that includes the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer, Alex Ovechkin, who is still pondering whether to return for a 22nd NHL season. — Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 15 June 2026 Any larger Hollywood studio would have likely insisted on a grander finale, but The Death of Robin Hood, produced by A24, left me pondering the foolishness of my need for such a denouement. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondering
  1. contemplation
  2. contemplating
  3. thought
  4. debating
  5. meditation
  6. considering
  7. consideration
  8. studying
Noun
  • Trish and Dan Bell Chapel The Trish and Dan Bell Chapel will serve as a gathering place for worship, contemplation and spiritual strengthening at FIU.
    — Florida International University, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
  • Many crude laughs were bolstered by the attached contemplation.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 June 2026
Definition of contemplation
Verb
  • With a new album out this summer—her first in a decade—Madonna’s reemergence on the pop scene has left many of us contemplating her ultimate place in its firmament.
    — Alex Frank, Vogue, 2 July 2026
  • The embarrassing episode also amplified questions about whether, in fact, Alito is contemplating retirement, a possibility some court watchers had already been discussing.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
Definition of contemplating
Noun
  • The thoughts and prayers expressed on the phones are, in a sense, carried by the wind.
    — Staff Photographer, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Her brother said at the time that her first thoughts were with her young daughter, August.
    — Eric Mack, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of thought
Verb
  • Lawyers are increasingly debating the role of outside investment in law firms, alternative business structures, multidisciplinary practices, and the growing influence of technology companies and private capital on the delivery of legal services.
    — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • The other was Michael Longfellow’s sketch about a guy dying at the top of a waterslide and debating whether he should be pushed down the slide or carried down the stairs, which was the only thing Bargatze kept talking about all week.
    — Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 4 July 2026
Definition of debating
Noun
  • Mindful downtime, including meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or reading instead of screen time, promotes better sleep and mental quiet.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Residential patients will also have access to a stickball court, garden space for traditional foods, a gym and room for meditation.
    — Sarah Liese, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of meditation
Verb
  • Why Overreaction Is Dangerous The immune analogy becomes especially useful when considering failure modes.
    — Abhik Biswas, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The Facebook parent is also considering selling raw computing capacity à la neocloud companies like CoreWeave, according to the report.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of considering
Noun
  • Trump taking the country to war with Iran, in part at the urging of his pal Bibi — without any sensible plan, debate, sanction from Congress or consideration as to how this might hurt Americans already struggling to make ends meet.
    — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
  • By eliminating your class and your ethnicity, your natural talents and weaknesses, from consideration, the veil reminds you that those traits are beyond your control, making fairness an incentive.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
Definition of consideration
Verb
  • Plates and plumes The problem with studying the formation of continents is that the geological evidence of this process is almost gone.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 5 July 2026
  • The robot was shown footage of professional footballers performing drills and movements, studying the mechanics of the sport the way a player might review game tape.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of studying

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Cite this Entry

“Pondering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondering. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pondering for Spanish Speakers

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