Meaning & use
pondering
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“pondering” is a form of “ponder”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
The -ing form of ponder: thinking slowly and carefully about something, often before deciding.
Grammar: Used after be for continuous action: she is pondering the offer. It can also be followed by over or on.
Patterns
- be pondering something
- be pondering over something
- be pondering whether to do something
She is pondering whether to accept the job in another city.
He sat for an hour pondering the meaning of the poem.
I have been pondering your question all week.
noununcountable
Quiet, careful thought about a question or problem.
Grammar: Often used in the plural or as a gerund: after much pondering.
Patterns
- after much pondering
After long pondering, she chose to stay.
His pondering did not lead to an answer.
The pondering of such questions fills many evenings.
Word forms
| base form | ponder |
|---|---|
| third person singular | ponders |
| past tense | pondered |
| past participle | pondered |
Common combinations
- pondering the question
- He spent the afternoon pondering the question.
- pondering a decision
- She is pondering a decision about her future.
- pondering over
- I kept pondering over what she had said.
- pondering quietly
- The old man sat pondering quietly by the fire.
- deep in pondering
- The student was deep in pondering and did not hear the bell.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contemplating
- Contemplating often suggests looking at something thoughtfully or considering a big action, while pondering is about turning an idea over.
- mulling
- Mulling is more informal and suggests thinking something over at a relaxed pace.
- reflecting
- Reflecting usually looks back at what has already happened, while pondering often looks ahead at a choice.
- brooding
- Brooding adds a gloomy, worried tone that pondering does not have.
Opposites
Word family
- ponder verb
- to think about carefully
- ponderous adjective
- slow and heavy, or dull
- ponderable adjective
- able to be thought about
- pondered adjective
- carefully considered
Commonly confused: pondering or pandering? pondering or wandering?
pondering vs pandering
Pandering means giving people what they want in order to win favor, while pondering means thinking carefully.
pondering vs wandering
Wandering means moving without a goal, and it rhymes with pondering only loosely.
Practice
What is Maya doing if she is pondering a job offer?
Choose one answer.
Pondering means thinking slowly and carefully. Refusing or signing would be a decision, and forgetting would mean not thinking at all.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pondering”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.