deliberation
Americannoun
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careful consideration before decision.
- Synonyms:
- forethought, reflection
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formal consultation or discussion.
-
deliberate quality; leisureliness of movement or action; slowness.
noun
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thoughtful, careful, or lengthy consideration
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(often plural) formal discussion and debate, as of a committee, jury, etc
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care, thoughtfulness, or absence of hurry, esp in movement or speech
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deliberation
1325–75; Middle English deliberacion < Latin dēlīberātiōn- (stem of dēlīberātiō ), equivalent to dēlīberāt ( us ) ( see deliberate) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
The process of carefully considering what to do is called deliberation, like your deliberation before making one of the most important decisions in your life. The noun deliberation comes from the Latin word deliberare, meaning “weigh,” or “consider well.” Whenever a person or group needs to work through all of the possible solutions to a problem, this is deliberation. Something that is deliberate is done on purpose, not by chance or accident — deliberation carries this same spirit, in that it is a carefully thought-out process of making a decision.
Vocabulary lists containing deliberation
Hamilton
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"The Lady, or the Tiger?" by Frank R. Stockton
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The Federalist Papers, No. 1 by Alexander Hamilton
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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.
Following an hour-long deliberation, the committee decided not to revoke Shindig's licence or to add any further conditions to it.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said when she accepted the jury’s conclusion after about two hours of deliberation.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
We’re going to have to get to a place where long-term deliberation is possible instead of short-term Instagram and TikTok, like little bits of information grandstanding as serious insight.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
It promotes deliberation and reasoned decision-making resulting in lengthy opinions that explain the justices’ rationale and provide guidance for lower courts in future cases.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
After a lot of deliberation, he decided to keep his mouth shut and went running with Minho for his second day of training, below a bleak and colorless sky.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
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.
