Definition of contemplationnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contemplation July 23 – August 22 Money choices benefit from thoughtful contemplation. Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026 Yalkin’s images give form to memory, transporting us into a twirling state of contemplation. Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026 Both of us have recently moved from denial to contemplation that AI will soon be in a position to replace us. J. Xavier Prochaska, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026 Tiffany approaches her projects with research and contemplation and then follows through with flawless details. Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contemplation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplation
Noun
  • The classes will include outdoors runs, strength, cardio, yoga and meditation but will not include workouts on the Peloton bike.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
  • She’s written about everything from orgasmic meditation cults to the racist origins of the pandemic.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Some of their goals from throw-ins, with oppositions backing off in anticipation and possibly fear of one of Pinnock’s long throws, have also come from quick restarts and delivering quality crosses into the box.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Over those 701 days, the anxiety and anticipation have been growing and reaches its apex today.
    Ron Smiley, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Contemplation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplation. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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