deliberation
Americannoun
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careful consideration before decision.
- Synonyms:
- forethought, reflection
-
formal consultation or discussion.
-
deliberate quality; leisureliness of movement or action; slowness.
noun
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thoughtful, careful, or lengthy consideration
-
(often plural) formal discussion and debate, as of a committee, jury, etc
-
care, thoughtfulness, or absence of hurry, esp in movement or speech
Other Word Forms
- nondeliberation noun
- overdeliberation noun
- predeliberation noun
- redeliberation noun
Etymology
Origin of deliberation
1325–75; Middle English deliberacion < Latin dēlīberātiōn- (stem of dēlīberātiō ), equivalent to dēlīberāt ( us ) ( deliberate ) + -iōn- -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The plaintiff at the heart of the case was only known by her first name Kaley, and after nine days of deliberation, the jurors agreed with her on all counts.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
“A transaction of this magnitude, which includes new and novel issues before the FCC, demands open deliberation before the full Commission, not a quiet sign-off meant to avoid public scrutiny,” Gomez said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026
The justices, in other words, will decide this case the proper way—with full briefing, oral arguments, deliberation, and an opinion—rather than over the shadow docket, with little or no explanation.
From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026
Some justices discussed the idea of sending the case back to lower courts for more deliberation.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026
The headlines told of a decision by the Board of Aldermen, after four months deliberation, that the local budget could not afford traffic lights at certain dangerous intersections of the town.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
