ponder
Americanverb (used without object)
-
ponders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pondered,
past participle, past
-
pondering
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
ponders,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pondered,
past participle, past
-
pondering
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
pondersimple
-
ponderssimple
-
have ponderedperfect
-
has ponderedperfect
-
am ponderingprogressive
-
are ponderingprogressive
-
is ponderingprogressive
-
have been ponderingperfect progressive
-
has been ponderingperfect progressive
Past
-
ponderedsimple
-
had ponderedperfect
-
was ponderingprogressive
-
were ponderingprogressive
-
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
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!
"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
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!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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:
U.S. stock-index futures were little changed on Sunday, as investors ponder the likelihood of a fresh interest-rate hike and look ahead to fresh labor data and tech earnings this week.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 30, 2026
And AI is forcing us all to ponder: What are we supposed to do with our elongated lives if technology wipes out the jobs that once gave us purpose?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
It leaves the rest of us to ponder what might become of this England team.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
New Theater Hollywood’s ‘California Gothic: A Bus Tour’ periodically invites riders to meet ghostly street performers and ponder the death of the California dream.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
“Owl,” Feathers whispers to herself, her forehead creased in a confused ponder for an animal well never see again.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Teng, who produced the 2019 Oscar-nominated documentary short “St. Louis Superman,” a portrait of a local Black activist, once again ponders how much any one person can do to bring about change.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
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
Gogol slouches in his seat and ponders certain awkward truths.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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
Critics pondered whether “Margaret” was too dated to appeal to today’s youth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
As the filing deadline approaches, Kiley pondered his path forward in a decision that was compared by political insiders to the reality television show “The Bachelor.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2026
As he stood outside the crammed pub on Sunday night, Breslin pondered how he would get in, how best to navigate the huge crowd and how he might persuade Kingfishr to perform.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026
“All that day and far into the night I pondered the problem of boyhood,” she wrote.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
With one hike delivered and one more likely to come this year, investors are pondering the likely pace of further tightening.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
He references “Wonder Man’s” most emotional scene, when Simon is in his junky Toyota Camry with Trevor, pondering quitting acting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
The Schwab strategists began pondering this three years ago as what they called the “great moderation” era — two decades of disinflation, suppressed volatility and reduced supply shocks — was over.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
Meanwhile, former health secretary Wes Streeting is publicly pondering how soon he may trigger a contest.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
The robot was so busy pondering these ideas that she was slow to notice the changes happening around her.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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.
