consideration
Americannoun
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the act of considering; careful thought; meditation; deliberation.
I will give your project full consideration.
- Synonyms:
- contemplation, reflection, attention, rumination
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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.
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thoughtful or sympathetic regard or respect; thoughtfulness for others.
They showed no consideration for his feelings.
- Synonyms:
- concern, kindliness, kindness
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a thought or reflection; an opinion based upon reflection.
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a recompense or payment, as for work done; compensation.
- Synonyms:
- fee, remuneration
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importance or consequence.
- Synonyms:
- moment, significance, weight
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estimation; esteem.
He is held in great consideration by the community.
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Law.
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something that suffices to make an informal promise legally binding, usually some value given in exchange for the promise.
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the hearing of a case by a tribunal.
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idioms
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in consideration of,
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in view of.
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in return or recompense for.
She was offered money in consideration of her efforts.
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take into consideration, to take into account; consider.
We failed to take into consideration the large number of tourists attending the exhibition.
noun
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the act or an instance of considering; deliberation; contemplation
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to bear in mind; consider
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being currently discussed or deliberated
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a fact or circumstance to be taken into account when making a judgment or decision
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for no reason whatsoever; never
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thoughtfulness for other people; kindness
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payment for a service; recompense; fee
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thought resulting from deliberation; opinion
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law the promise, object, etc, given by one party to persuade another to enter into a contract
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estimation; esteem
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because of
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in return for
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Synonym Usage
See honor.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing consideration
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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Dwight D. Eisenhower, "The Military-Industrial Complex" (1961)
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myPerspectives 6.4
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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.
See Examples For:
It will issue 248.4 million new Var Energi shares to BlueNord shareholders as consideration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Le Hegarat said ministers were working to "fully understand the panel's findings, the work already undertaken and the matters requiring further consideration".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
His possible removal -- reported to be under consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Ukrainian and foreign media -- comes as Ukraine appears to be in its best position in the war for months.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
As a long-term shareholder in both companies, Norges Bank Investment Management said it understood the rationale for a combination and the proposal merited consideration.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The common version of leadership that bound this distinguished constellation together was a keen appreciation of the political threat that any direct consideration of slavery represented in the still-fragile American republic.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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Even if a future leader wanted to reverse Trump's duties, revenue considerations will complicate the situation, Lipsky predicts.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Safety and soundness considerations required regulators to hit the brakes, while affordable-housing goals required them to step on the accelerator.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
A complete list of food and drink considerations provided by the CDC can be found here.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
If it’s 3%, then you’re already there, and you can check that off your list of considerations.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
A lifetime of practical and comfortable considerations settled atop the spark inside her like a thick, heavy blanket.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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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.