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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contemplate
Humphries says the pandemic led many wealthy people to contemplate doomsday scenarios and attempt to prep for them by attempting feats of endurance and deprivation.
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Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
When asked whether the Jets could contemplate using the franchise or transition tag to retain Hall, Mougey declined to answer.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
That's not a nice thing to contemplate.
—Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Jan. 2026
Here are key topics to contemplate as golf embarks another year.
—Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contemplate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplate
Verb
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Take the time to ponder outdated habits or emotional scars.—
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Advertisement China has long pondered surgical strikes against Taiwan’s leadership, though any such move is likely to be self-defeating, given the island is a sustained democracy.—
Verb
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The attack occurred hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alerted the nation that Russia intended to launch a large-scale offensive.—
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It is not intended as legal, financial, or professional advice.—
Verb
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If that sounds hyperbolic, consider that Independence offensive coordinator Marlon Barnett has compared Resar to former Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, who was the 14th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.—
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Since the two pieces are such versatile staples, consider this your sign to add similar dress pants and pumps to your own wardrobe.—
Verb
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Did several individuals act spontaneously or was something planned?—
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Walmart plans to add EV sites at thousands of Walmart and Sam’s Club locations by 2030.—
Verb
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Washington Post food critic Elazar Sontag entertains your restaurant questions, rants and raves.—
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In The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), Mirren played Georgia, the wife of crime boss Albert Spica (Michael Gambon), who comes to La Hollandaise to be entertained every night.—
Verb
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Chiefs funding questions Some legislators, meanwhile, hope that funding for the future of Arrowhead can come out of the team’s pockets rather than county coffers.—
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The brothers were instrumental for the state title football team, and now hope to bring home state wrestling medals.—
Verb
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Opposite a serene Rooney Mara and a raging Claire Foy, Buckley is a lone dissenting voice in Sarah Polley’s heart-wrenching portrait of a group of women and girls in an isolated Mennonite colony who are debating how to respond to a series of brutal attacks from the men in their community.—
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The band was the first to sanction fan taping at their concerts, spawning an abundance of homespun recordings that have been collected, traded and debated for decades.—
Verb
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Tips to Prevent Pipes from Freezing Insulation is key in preventing frozen pipes, which means plumbing in areas like attics, exterior walls, outdoor pipes, and crawl spaces, will likely require extra insulation.—
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Borders mean less to me than people.—
Cite this Entry
“Contemplate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplate. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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