contemplation

American  

[kon-tuhm-pley-shuhn, -tem-] / ˌkɒn təmˈpleɪ ʃən, -tɛm- /

noun

• contemplations
  plural

1. the act of contemplating; thoughtful observation.

2. full or deep consideration; reflection.

   religious contemplation.

3. purpose or intention.

4. prospect or expectation.

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contemplation British  

/ -təm-, ˌkɒntɛmˈpleɪʃən /

noun

1. thoughtful or long consideration or observation

2. spiritual meditation esp (in Christian religious practice) concentration of the mind and soul upon God Compare meditation

3. purpose or intention

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precontemplation
  noun
• recontemplation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• contemplations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of contemplation

First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin contemplātiōn-, stem of contemplātiō; equivalent to contemplate + -ion; replacing Middle English contemplaci(o)un, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above

Explanation

Contemplation is long, hard thinking about something. If you’re writing a book on the meaning of the universe, then you’re going to need to do a great deal of contemplation. Contemplate has the word temple in its roots, and originally referred to the kind of thinking you do in a special space set aside for observation. Now we use it to describe any kind of thinking that we spend a long time doing. While clicking on someone’s photos on Facebook doesn’t count as contemplation, usually, you might spend hours in contemplation of your family and your history if you come across a box of old photos in the attic.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

contemplation contemplations

So did I, in contemplation of all the gadgets, guest appearances and exposition dumps the film’s screenwriters, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, mistake for a compelling story.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

The initial tone is one of tranquil contemplation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

The lead characters are sketches of real people — mere catalysts for thematic contemplation when they should also be genuinely integral parts of a story.

From Salon ● May 30, 2026

It takes an exceptional piece of art to inspire audiences to think twice about what comes as second nature, to choose compassionate contemplation over ardent debate.

From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026

S.Q. brought their juice and tripped out again; Mr. Curtain sipped from his paper cup with an expression of eager contemplation, and then the moment had arrived.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart

First, pessimism is the natural state for any contemplations of peace in the Middle East.

From Slate ● Oct. 10, 2025

Still, the sizable L.A. fandom around his movies — best described as unflinching contemplations of shared humanity — has always shown up for him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2023

Although it taps into the same aimlessness that fuels the other tracks on “Nacarile,” iLe considers it one of the more “hopeful” contemplations.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 15, 2023

Some have lots of blood and some are deep contemplations of the future of humanity — and some have both.

From The Verge ● May 20, 2022

Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us—there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• meditation
• reflection
• reverie