ponder

[ pon-der ]

verb (used without object)

1. to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate (often followed by over or upon ).

   Synonyms: ruminate, deliberate, cogitate, reflect

verb (used with object)

1. to weigh carefully in the mind; consider thoughtfully:

   He pondered his next words thoroughly.

ponder

/ ˈpɒndə /

verb

1. whenintr, sometimes foll by on or over to give thorough or deep consideration (to); meditate (upon)

Other Words From

• ponder·er noun
• re·ponder verb (used without object)
• un·pondered adjective
• well-pondered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ponder¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pondren, from Middle French ponderer, from Latin ponderāre “to weigh, reflect on,” derivative of pondus “weight”; akin to pendēre “to be suspended, hang” ( pend )

Word History and Origins

Origin of ponder¹

C14: from Old French ponderer, from Latin ponderāre to weigh, consider, from pondus weight; related to pendere to weigh

Example Sentences

Hegseth probably read some history as an undergrad at Princeton and a master’s student at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, so he might want to ponder the takeaways from this tale: Is anti-woke the new anti-communism?

From Slate

Mass layoffs in the media industry have put thousands of journalists on the street, forcing them to ponder new ways to exercise their professional skills.

From Los Angeles Times

They indeed won’t have much time to ponder a game in which they had all their offensive weapons complementing their frenetic young defense, a game in which they were properly favored and should have won.

From Los Angeles Times

Skipper Hope joined Carty to finish the job for the hosts to leave England with plenty to ponder in this format before a three-match ODI series in India in February, which is their final preparation before the Champions Trophy in Pakistan later in the same month.

From BBC

Plenty, too, ponder what Trump's win might say about the more conventional political class being so tin-eared about the concerns of millions and millions of people that he has triumphed again.

From BBC

Related Words

• consider
• contemplate
• deliberate
• evaluate
• examine
• mull
• mull over
• puzzle over
• reflect
• speculate
• weigh