contemplate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to look at or view with continued attention; observe or study thoughtfully.
to contemplate the stars.
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to consider thoroughly; think fully or deeply about.
to contemplate a difficult problem.
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to have as a purpose; intend.
The District Attorney's office does not contemplate any charges.
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to have in view as a future event.
to contemplate buying a new car.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to think about intently and at length; consider calmly
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(intr) to think intently and at length, esp for spiritual reasons; meditate
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to look at thoughtfully; observe pensively
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to have in mind as a possibility
to contemplate changing jobs
Other Word Forms
- contemplator noun
- precontemplate verb
- recontemplate verb
- uncontemplated adjective
Etymology
Origin of contemplate
First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin contemplātus, past participle of contemplāre, contemplārī “to survey, observe,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + templ(um) “space marked off for augural observation” + -ātus past participle suffix; con-, temple 1, -ate 1
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.
For Joe Bennett, it is hard to contemplate the next few days without them.
From BBC
Facing his first Christmas without his wife, Andrew thinks this is indicative of our wider inability to talk about death, to even contemplate facing our worst nightmare.
From BBC
Not so if you confess to streaming military thrillers while other, nobler souls are busy contemplating peace on earth.
Mr Hunt says he and his brothers were only able to contemplate the possibility of a medal when their mother Marjory died in 2013, aged 79.
From BBC
The flip-side, the mission that Robinson is working on, is not something the Frenchman wants to contemplate.
From BBC
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.
