1
as in to ponder
to give serious and careful thought to
she contemplated the problem for several hours before reaching a decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to intend
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
he waited patiently, contemplating revenge all the while
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 contemplate
King Penguins contemplating the snow on Heard Island, Antarctica.
—
Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
And while our country struggles to keep from crumbling, Mr. Trump is contemplating a third term as president.
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
Campbell, who joined the Dolphins in search of an elusive Super Bowl ring, contemplated leaving the Dolphins late last season to join a contender.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025
To recognize the Fed’s insignificance, all readers need to do is contemplate all the attention given the central bank by economists and pundits.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemplate
Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2025
And while our country struggles to keep from crumbling, Mr. Trump is contemplating a third term as president.
—Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
Campbell, who joined the Dolphins in search of an elusive Super Bowl ring, contemplated leaving the Dolphins late last season to join a contender.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025
To recognize the Fed’s insignificance, all readers need to do is contemplate all the attention given the central bank by economists and pundits.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemplate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplate
Verb
-
And ponder why the tee shot on the par-3 12th creates such a riddle.—
Bob Spear,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Sarah Wells ponders how her 13-year-old business, selling breast-pump backpacks and other items for new moms, will run under President Trump's new tariffs on all imports.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
While the Senate spending cuts are set at just around $4 billion, the House intends to cut at least $1.5 trillion.—
Claudia Grisales,
NPR,
5 Apr. 2025
-
And, President Trump intends to scale back monies for state and local governments while pushing more costs on states and cities.—
Eric J. Gertler,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The dispute ended up before the Supreme Court, and Chief Justice John Roberts put that deadline on hold to allow the high court more time to consider the matter.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Lastly, there’s also the number of pockets to consider.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The original start date was planned earlier, and the season would have been much easier to work in.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
-
To add insult to injury, the NCAA does not plan on paying the full amount in cash.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The film is mass at its core and magical in its storytelling, crafted to move and entertain audiences worldwide.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Families are very much the focus here, and the resort offers a wealth of activities to keep younger guests entertained (see: the indoor kids’ club and playground with multi-story slides, and the dedicated kids’ pool with water slides.—
Nicole Trilivas,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Now Versace will be part of the Prada family and hope to experience the same growth as its parent company, as last year, revenues at Prada Group jumped 15 percent, to more than $6 billion.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The Road to Palmyra After years of violence, Syrians hope to restore the ancient city in the desert.—
The Dial,
The Dial,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Callahan said the uncertainty is why many are debating whether to buy or sell shares and why companies such as Klarna, StubHub and Chime are reportedly delaying their initial public offerings.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Such historical revelations, belatedly publicized and debated, were necessary, yet immeasurably painful.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
That means nearly 40% of US households bought a car in 2024.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
-
The decision would have meant that as of Wednesday, as many as 350,000 Venezuelans, many of them living in South Florida, would have lost the ability to legally work in the U.S, and a few days later would have been vulnerable to detention and deportation.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemplate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplate. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share