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

Investors will receive, for no additional consideration, 20 shares of Pershing Square Inc. for every 100 shares purchased in the Pershing Square USA IPO, the company added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Terzic, meanwhile, was under consideration by Tottenham to replace Thomas Frank when the Dane was sacked earlier this season.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Taking all types of taxes into consideration, Florida ranks fifth in the U.S. for “state tax competitiveness” by the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

Overall, “it’s not as simple as just saying the strait is open. There are lots of logistical issues that need to be taken into consideration as well,” Meir said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

“Have you heard, Joe,” I asked him that evening, upon further consideration, as he smoked his pipe at the window, “who my patron was?”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Related Words

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