PONDERING Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

pondering 1 of 2

noun

as in contemplation

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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

Kronengold and Shaw are still pondering what will come of that if Adults gets to be renewed. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 Instead, the fast-casual restaurant chain's CEO and co-founder woke up pondering the country's ongoing cyclospora outbreak. — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 One lucky Maryland resident might be pondering that after becoming the state's third $1 million winner in the past two weeks. — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Engineers spent months pondering the approach in late 2025 and early 2026, when the only antenna that was able to communicate with Voyager 2 was down for repair anyway. — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 Lupoi isn’t a guy who spends his evenings pondering philosophy or splitting atoms. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 Blumstein came up with the idea for the OnlyFans account while sitting in a meadow, waiting for marmots to appear and pondering the state of scientific funding for his work. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 But auto industry insiders are already pondering how original equipment manufacturers will react to this democratization of their data. — New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026 Beyond pondering whether to cut Google off, other publishers have resorted to suing the company, accusing it of illegally rehashing their intellectual property via AI summaries. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 23 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pondering

Noun

Sister Mary Grace, 76, loves the opportunity for contemplation and the chance to express it artistically.

— Kelly Wilkinson, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026
Indeed, Serrano’s image is, to me, comparable to an icon, worthy of sincere contemplation.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of contemplation

Verb

Moreno, who in 2003 became baseball’s first Latino owner, was still contemplating a potential exit strategy, according to new club president Molly Jolly.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
In 2023, the Miami Herald reported that Díaz-Canel told a room of Cuban American businesspeople that the Cuban government was contemplating letting Cuban Americans invest in and own businesses on the island, and was working on legislation to do it.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of contemplating

Noun

And finally, there’s poor Leighton Vance — or at least a version of Leighton Vance who’s not the CEO of Velocity Tech but the leader of a small meditation group.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
At the Miraval Slumber Party, guests explore their sleep patterns and dreams, then are guided through acupressure exercises, stretching, and meditations with singing bowls.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of meditation

Verb

Travelers who are considering booking one of these flights can use websites like SkyAccess, which posts available empty leg inventory for flights weeks or months in advance.

— Elliott Harrell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026
The goalkeeping department has probably been downgraded, considering the highly promising Trafford left, and was replaced by Geronimo Rulli, a solid backup option at 34 years of age.

— Sam Lee, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of considering

Noun

If someone consistently behaves with kindness, generosity, and consideration, even when these behaviors require effort or self-restraint, their motives may be less important than their actions.

— Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
For now, the main considerations are cutting benefits for wealthier Americans or eliminating the cap on Social Security's payroll tax.

— Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of consideration

Verb

Greyson said nearly five decades of studying near-death experiences has convinced him there is probably something after death.

— Michael Collins, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
After studying hospitality in Switzerland and working in New York with chef Daniel Boulud, Kfoury returned to Lebanon, only to live through another war in 2006.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of studying

Browse Nearby Words

pondered

pondering

ponderous

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pondering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pondering. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pondering

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes