consideration

American  

[kuhn-sid-uh-rey-shuhn] / kənˌsɪd əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of considering; careful thought; meditation; deliberation.

   I will give your project full consideration.

   Synonyms:

   contemplation, reflection, attention, rumination

2. something that is or is to be kept in mind in making a decision, evaluating facts, etc..

   Age was an important consideration in the decision.

3. thoughtful or sympathetic regard or respect; thoughtfulness for others.

   They showed no consideration for his feelings.

   Synonyms:

   concern, kindliness, kindness

4. a thought or reflection; an opinion based upon reflection.

5. a recompense or payment, as for work done; compensation.

   Synonyms:

   fee, remuneration

6. importance or consequence.

   Synonyms:

   moment, significance, weight

7. estimation; esteem.

   He is held in great consideration by the community.

8. Law.

   1. something that suffices to make an informal promise legally binding, usually some value given in exchange for the promise.

   2. the hearing of a case by a tribunal.

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idioms

1. in consideration of,

   1. in view of.

   2. in return or recompense for.

      She was offered money in consideration of her efforts.

2. take into consideration, to take into account; consider.

   We failed to take into consideration the large number of tourists attending the exhibition.

consideration British  

/ kənˌsɪdəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of considering; deliberation; contemplation

2. to bear in mind; consider

3. being currently discussed or deliberated

4. a fact or circumstance to be taken into account when making a judgment or decision

5. for no reason whatsoever; never

6. thoughtfulness for other people; kindness

7. payment for a service; recompense; fee

8. thought resulting from deliberation; opinion

9. law the promise, object, etc, given by one party to persuade another to enter into a contract

10. estimation; esteem

11. 1. because of

    2. in return for

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consideration More Idioms  

1. see in consideration of; take into account (consideration); under consideration.

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Related Words

See honor.

Other Word Forms

• nonconsideration
  noun
• overconsideration
  noun
• preconsideration
  noun
• subconsideration
  noun

Etymology

Origin of consideration

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin consīderātiōn-, stem of consīderātiō “contemplation, examination,” equivalent to consīderāt(us) “contemplated” ( see considerate) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Consideration is kindness and thoughtful regard for others, or an act of thoughtfulness. Treating others as you would have them treat you (the Golden Rule) is one example of consideration. The verb consider comes from the Latin for "contemplate," and hidden in the word is sid,, the Latin root for "star." Originally it meant to examine something very thoroughly, or carefully, as if you were staring at the night sky, contemplating its mystery. If you give something consideration, you think about it carefully, and not too quickly. When you’re making a tough decision, you need to give consideration to all possible outcomes before making up your mind.

Example Sentences

At the height of the summer, an estimated 835,000 beach users would also need to be taken into consideration in the event of a tsunami.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

“Warsh and the Fed would be well-served to continue to give serious consideration to this measure over time, but at the moment, it may be offering false hope for the inflation picture,” Stanley notes.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Additionally, failure of consideration — where one party does not carry out their promised obligations in a way that significantly harms the other party — can justify rescission, the law firm adds.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

This has angered Boro, who say that they are "directly affected by the matters under consideration and hold relevant factual evidence".

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Still, he showed remarkable consideration toward the people in his custody and insisted on making arrests without brandishing his six-shooter.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• development
• difficulty
• evidence
• factor
• idea
• issue
• judgment
• plan
• problem
• proposal