- 1[transitive] to think about whether you should do something, or how you should do something synonym consider, think about/of contemplate something You're too young to be contemplating retirement. contemplate doing something I have never contemplated living abroad. contemplate how/what, etc… He continued while she contemplated how to answer. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbseriously, even verb + contemplatebe prepared to, be willing to, cannot, … phrasestoo awful to contemplate, too horrible to contemplate See full entry
- 2[transitive] to think carefully about and accept the possibility of something happening contemplate something The thought of war is too awful to contemplate. contemplate how/what, etc… I can't contemplate what it would be like to be alone. contemplate that… She contemplated that things might get even worse. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbseriously, even verb + contemplatebe prepared to, be willing to, cannot, … phrasestoo awful to contemplate, too horrible to contemplate See full entry
- 3[transitive, intransitive] contemplate (something) (formal) to think deeply about something for a long time to contemplate your future She lay in bed, contemplating. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbseriously, even verb + contemplatebe prepared to, be willing to, cannot, … phrasestoo awful to contemplate, too horrible to contemplate See full entry
- 4[transitive] contemplate somebody/something (formal) to look at somebody/something in a careful way for a long time synonym stare at She contemplated him in silence. He sat there, contemplating his fingernails. Word Originlate 16th cent.: from Latin contemplat- ‘surveyed, observed, contemplated’, from the verb contemplari, based on templum ‘place for observation’.Extra examples Are you willing to contemplate retraining? He was very depressed and even contemplated suicide. How could you even contemplate such an idea? She contemplated a change of direction in her life She was seriously contemplating moving to Mexico. She was seriously contemplating working abroad. The thought of war was too awful to contemplate. We’re contemplating the possibility of moving house. He’s only 55, but he’s already contemplating retirement. I can’t contemplate what it would be like to be alone.
contemplate
verbBrE BrE//ˈkɒntəmpleɪt//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːntəmpleɪt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they contemplate BrE BrE//ˈkɒntəmpleɪt//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːntəmpleɪt//
he / she / it contemplates BrE BrE//ˈkɒntəmpleɪts//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːntəmpleɪts//
past simple contemplated BrE BrE//ˈkɒntəmpleɪtɪd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪd//
past participle contemplated BrE BrE//ˈkɒntəmpleɪtɪd//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪd//
-ing form contemplating BrE BrE//ˈkɒntəmpleɪtɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪŋ//
Check pronunciation: contemplate
