ponder
Americanverb (used without object)
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ponders,
present (3rd person singular)
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pondered,
past participle, past
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pondering
present participle
verb (used with object)
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ponders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pondered,
past participle, past
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pondering
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pondersimple
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ponderssimple
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have ponderedperfect
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has ponderedperfect
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am ponderingprogressive
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are ponderingprogressive
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is ponderingprogressive
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have been ponderingperfect progressive
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has been ponderingperfect progressive
Past
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ponderedsimple
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had ponderedperfect
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was ponderingprogressive
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were ponderingprogressive
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had been ponderingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ponder
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pondren, from Middle French ponderer, from Latin ponderāre “to weigh, reflect on,” derivative of pondus “weight”; akin to pendēre “to be suspended, hang” ( see pend)
Explanation
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary" is the first line of Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven. Many a deep thinker has repeated it while musing. But if you've given up deep thinking, you may say instead, "Nevermore." Think of ponder as reflecting on weighty thoughts. It will help you remember the definition if you can remember the word's Latin roots. It comes from ponderare, which literally meant to weigh, and pondus, which means weight. People sometimes use the word ironically, for example, when someone asks you to do something you really don't want to do. You may tap your chin for a second and say, "Let me ponder that." Pause. "Um, no!"
Vocabulary lists containing ponder
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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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.
See Examples For:
Emily, John, and David ponder unsolved questions about ourselves and our world.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
Moore’s book prompted Keynes to ponder what it meant to be good and, eventually, how much was “enough,” economically speaking, for people to live a good life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
That’s why experts urge people of all ages to think ahead and ponder their end-of-life wishes while they’re still healthy.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
It leaves the rest of us to ponder what might become of this England team.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
With the check written but not yet signed, he swiveled back in his desk chair and seemed to ponder.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Signs Honda are on the right track are what Alonso has been looking for as he ponders whether to stay in the sport beyond the end of the season.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
In his weekly Flow Show strategy note, Bank of America’s Michael Hartnett ponders the likelihood of Warsh imposing a rate hike to calm the long end of the Treasury curve.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
“In the Mouth of Madness” ponders just how powerful media — and our relationship to it — can be, and Neill gives an electrifying turn as a man caught up in a myth made real.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
He wears a baseball cap and an oversize brown sweater, tugging on the sleeves while he ponders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Gogol slouches in his seat and ponders certain awkward truths.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Treasury and eurozone yields fell as investors pondered whether the recent bonds selloff had gone too far and now offers attractive levels to start buying again.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
But, we pondered, what factors allowed me to be blasé?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Yuriy, a senior instructor who led one of the squads across the gruelling obstacle course, has at times pondered the necessity of such trials given the nature of drone warfare.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Lewis admitted some of the witness stories were compelling and "would have an effect" on him as he pondered them before his rational self took over.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026
The Duchess pondered, and her old eyes narrowed.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
"The biggest compliment you can pay Harry Kane is to ask yourself how long we've been pondering the question 'what will England do if Harry Kane gets injured?',"
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Take a look back at the memorable unsolved queries that Slate readers were pondering 20 years ago.
From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026
I’ve been pondering AI since its transformative nature was fully impressed on my consciousness years ago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
And Aaron Donald, one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history, is pondering coming out of retirement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
I was still pondering Garth’s behavior when my classmates returned to Room 26.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
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.
