contemplate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
contemplates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
contemplated,
past participle, past
-
contemplating
present participle
-
to look at or view with continued attention; observe or study thoughtfully.
to contemplate the stars.
-
to consider thoroughly; think fully or deeply about.
to contemplate a difficult problem.
-
to have as a purpose; intend.
The District Attorney's office does not contemplate any charges.
-
to have in view as a future event.
to contemplate buying a new car.
verb (used without object)
-
contemplates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
contemplated,
past participle, past
-
contemplating
present participle
verb
-
to think about intently and at length; consider calmly
-
(intr) to think intently and at length, esp for spiritual reasons; meditate
-
to look at thoughtfully; observe pensively
-
to have in mind as a possibility
to contemplate changing jobs
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
contemplatesimple
-
contemplatessimple
-
have contemplatedperfect
-
has contemplatedperfect
-
am contemplatingprogressive
-
are contemplatingprogressive
-
is contemplatingprogressive
-
have been contemplatingperfect progressive
-
has been contemplatingperfect progressive
Past
-
contemplatedsimple
-
had contemplatedperfect
-
was contemplatingprogressive
-
were contemplatingprogressive
-
had been contemplatingperfect progressive
Future
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; see origin at con-, temple 1, -ate 1
Explanation
Before you accept a job offer, or a college's offer of admission, you should take time to contemplate the pros and cons of your decision. If you contemplate something, you think about it carefully. Contemplate is from Latin contemplatus, past participle of contemplari "to gaze attentively, observe," from the prefix com- "together" plus templum "temple." The original meaning of Latin contemplari was "to mark out a space for observing auguries or omens," and the temple was a holy space reserved for this purpose.
Vocabulary lists containing contemplate
Of Mice and Men
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The father of a seventh-grader living with cancer recently raised the issue of “whether researchers in a trial could be motivated by prediction market profits,” something so heinous it is difficult to contemplate.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
But no one at the club will want to contemplate such a thought.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Dahlia Lithwick: The decision in Slaughter will have knock-on effects that most people probably haven’t even begun to contemplate.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
A living being is also endowed with theoretical knowledge—as in the Greek term theorein, meaning to behold, receive and contemplate ultimate reality as beauty, gift and mystery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Not too far along I found a pleasant resting place where I could sit and munch and contemplate and stare out over the stately brown, slow-moving Father of Waters as my spirit required.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
As the seventh generation of his family to fish for eels on Lough Neagh, he gets emotional when he contemplates the future.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Meanwhile, Sam Adams contemplates the film’s ending, arguing that Nolan’s final plot twist changes the meaning of the whole story.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
“Rather than treating disparate impact as an evidentiary mechanism to smoke out intentional discrimination,” the EEOC’s historical approach contemplates “liability based on disproportionately adverse effects alone,” the OLC opinion explains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
One of the greatest operas of our time, John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic,” contemplates the creation of nuclear weapons as the functioning of a latter-day Faust, Goethe’s most lasting creation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
He contemplates the “bond that never lets go of us, not even when we suffer the most, the bond of God’s love.”
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
In a series of X.com posts, James said he contemplated retirement before choosing the 76ers over several other suitors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
“The arrest contemplated by Mayor Mamdani would face significant legal challenges,” said Ginsberg, who previously worked in the New York state attorney general’s office.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Nike last week said its results would get a lift from tariff refunds that were “not contemplated in the company’s previously provided guidance.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
I never thought about it before, never contemplated it, never even thought of those words together before in my life, and they just came out to me that day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
It was no quick thing Adam contemplated, to be finished and ready in a hurry.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
This man, meanwhile, is contemplating waiting so that his wife will get a higher amount through survivor benefits in the event he dies before she does.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
OpenAI and Anthropic are contemplating a price war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Lionel Messi, at 39, remains Argentina's leader and inspiration, still capable of producing the magic that has this proud and passionate football country contemplating a repeat of their World Cup win four years ago.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
On this late May evening, the 15 men gathered there were contemplating tackling something few had previously had the courage or skill to take on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
He often bloated while lying in bed in the morning contemplating the unfortunate turn that events had taken since the Reformation.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
