contemplate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
contemplates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
contemplated,
past participle, past
-
contemplating
present participle
-
to look at or view with continued attention; observe or study thoughtfully.
to contemplate the stars.
-
to consider thoroughly; think fully or deeply about.
to contemplate a difficult problem.
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to have as a purpose; intend.
The District Attorney's office does not contemplate any charges.
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to have in view as a future event.
to contemplate buying a new car.
verb (used without object)
-
contemplates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
contemplated,
past participle, past
-
contemplating
present participle
verb
-
to think about intently and at length; consider calmly
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(intr) to think intently and at length, esp for spiritual reasons; meditate
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to look at thoughtfully; observe pensively
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to have in mind as a possibility
to contemplate changing jobs
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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contemplatesimple
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contemplatessimple
-
have contemplatedperfect
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has contemplatedperfect
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am contemplatingprogressive
-
are contemplatingprogressive
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is contemplatingprogressive
-
have been contemplatingperfect progressive
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has been contemplatingperfect progressive
Past
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contemplatedsimple
-
had contemplatedperfect
-
was contemplatingprogressive
-
were contemplatingprogressive
-
had been contemplatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of contemplate
First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin contemplātus, past participle of contemplāre, contemplārī “to survey, observe,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + templ(um) “space marked off for augural observation” + -ātus past participle suffix; see origin at con-, temple 1, -ate 1
Explanation
Before you accept a job offer, or a college's offer of admission, you should take time to contemplate the pros and cons of your decision. If you contemplate something, you think about it carefully. Contemplate is from Latin contemplatus, past participle of contemplari "to gaze attentively, observe," from the prefix com- "together" plus templum "temple." The original meaning of Latin contemplari was "to mark out a space for observing auguries or omens," and the temple was a holy space reserved for this purpose.
Vocabulary lists containing contemplate
Of Mice and Men
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List 5
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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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:
One person close to him believed the time Buffett spent at home recuperating gave him an opportunity to contemplate the company’s future and the decision about when to step down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
They now need to contemplate exactly how far the Fed will go to get inflation back under control, as well as what a longer Fed hiking cycle might mean for markets and the economy.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
Once the key protagonists in Premier League heavyweight contests, the Gunners would seemingly never contemplate allowing their top scorer to join United.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Over at Fitch, the feeling is that the project will almost certainly be finished in time for the Olympics, mostly because the consequences of missing that deadline are too horrible to contemplate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
It was fairly easy to contemplate the race issue in the shop without reaching those heights of fear that devastated me.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
But as Stokes contemplates his future, it's worth pointing out that he has not played a match in the short format of the game since appearing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred in 2024.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
That reflects spending on the mill expansion at the Meekatharra/Cue hubs offsetting the deferral of Higginsville capital as the company contemplates a 4 million tons/year expansion using ore from the Fletcher deposit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Meanwhile, Sam Adams contemplates the film’s ending, arguing that Nolan’s final plot twist changes the meaning of the whole story.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
When asked if he sees himself as Ruben, Gadd contemplates the question, debating whether it’s his “jetlagged brain” or ambivalence about finding some of Ruben within him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
The more one contemplates the hot viruses, the less they look like parasites and the more they begin to look like predators.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
They asked their supervisors to approve a new investigation and contemplated using undercover operatives to gather more evidence.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
As Washington had warned when Lafayette contemplated a return in the 1790s, “you would lose the confidence of one party or the other, perhaps both, were you here under these circumstances.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
But the other difference is that Goode has spent his entire life immersed in the world of reptiles, starting long before he even contemplated making a documentary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The couple anxiously contemplated the request before agreeing to lend Barnes £10,000, after he promised it would be repaid within a week.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Mom picked up her blackened pot and contemplated it.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
While he said talks would resume this week, that was unable to lift the gloom on trading floors, with traders contemplating further rises in inflation that will force the Fed to tighten monetary policy more.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
The level of strikes Trump is contemplating couldn’t be determined.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
If you want to preserve the homely, mom-and-pop feeling of picking out your own merchandise and contemplating the value of a dollar before you enter your credit card info, Amazon is there for you.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
Rojas has shied away from a full farewell tour but is contemplating returning after the season and transitioning into a player development role.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Oliver, who had spent quite a bit of time contemplating what he was going to get for Christmas, just remembered he was expected to give gifts as well.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
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.
