1
as in meditation
long or deep thinking about spiritual matters
the decision to enter a monastery and to spend one's life in prayer and contemplation
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2
as in anticipation
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence
in contemplation of their children's college expenses, they started saving early
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contemplation
At the other end of Eilean Mòr, past a mossy Celtic cross standing like a lighthouse at the island’s tallest point, Sandy showed us the Cave of Saint Cormac, its opening hardly more than four feet high, where eighth-century monks used to retreat for periods of secluded contemplation.
—
Leslie Jamison, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025
Like a Buddha that meditated too deeply and passed over enlightenment on the way to raving insanity, modern art had destroyed itself through excessive, nihilistic contemplation.
—Dean Kissick, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
The donation was used to refurbish The Sanctuary, a non-denominational space for reflection and contemplation for families and caregivers at the hospice.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024
This sobering contemplation of radicalization takes a nuanced look at two equally strong, competing impulses: loyalty to family on one hand, and responsibility toward the greater social good on the other.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemplation
Leslie Jamison, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025
Like a Buddha that meditated too deeply and passed over enlightenment on the way to raving insanity, modern art had destroyed itself through excessive, nihilistic contemplation.
—Dean Kissick, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
The donation was used to refurbish The Sanctuary, a non-denominational space for reflection and contemplation for families and caregivers at the hospice.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024
This sobering contemplation of radicalization takes a nuanced look at two equally strong, competing impulses: loyalty to family on one hand, and responsibility toward the greater social good on the other.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemplation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplation
Noun
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Started roughly a month ago by John Schwarz, a Chicago-area meditation and mindfulness educator, the idea has taken off on social media, where searches for the term surface hundreds of posts of people sharing screenshots of infographics and encouraging others to participate in the protest.—
Angela Yang,
NBC News,
28 Feb. 2025
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The audience was enraptured in a deep meditation from start to finish.—
Anna Haines,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Some had done so preemptively, in mere anticipation of the new Trump presidency.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2025
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Daniels, who is 6'8 and enormously athletic, has already - at such a young age - found a way to bridge the two aspects, and combine them with his uncanny basketball IQ that takes into account timing, player tendencies, and anticipation.—
Morten Stig Jensen,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Conference Board's report Tuesday said that the measure of Americans' short-term expectations for income, business and the job market fell 9.3 points to 72.9.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2025
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But some have expressed the importance that expectations remain in check.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemplation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplation. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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