deliberation

American  

[dih-lib-uh-rey-shuhn] / dɪˌlɪb əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. careful consideration before decision.

   Synonyms:

   forethought, reflection

2. formal consultation or discussion.

3. deliberate quality; leisureliness of movement or action; slowness.

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deliberation British  

/ dɪˌlɪbəˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. thoughtful, careful, or lengthy consideration

2. (often plural) formal discussion and debate, as of a committee, jury, etc

3. care, thoughtfulness, or absence of hurry, esp in movement or speech

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Other Word Forms

• nondeliberation noun
• overdeliberation noun
• predeliberation noun
• redeliberation noun

Etymology

Origin of deliberation

1325–75; Middle English deliberacion < Latin dēlīberātiōn- (stem of dēlīberātiō ), equivalent to dēlīberāt ( us ) ( deliberate ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Decisions taking too long, celebrations being put on hold while deliberations take place, confusion as goals are given - or ruled out - for marginal reasons, denying referees the ability to use their own common sense.

From BBC

It had been a year of crowded news conferences and Senate committee deliberations and lengthy legal filings.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We agree that the probable causes are an accumulation of many attributes to depression," the jury foreperson said on Thursday, after about two hours of deliberation.

From BBC

He also said he supports the executive order but is alarmed by the agency’s continuing resistance to oversight by the court and its reluctance to include veterans in its deliberations.

From Los Angeles Times

The company made the “difficult decision” to implement a court-supervised sale process after careful deliberation, said Marc Rosen, chief executive of Catalyst Brands.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• conference
• consideration
• consultation
• debate
• speculation