contemplation

noun

con·​tem·​pla·​tion ˌkän-təm-ˈplā-shən How to pronounce contemplation (audio)
-ˌtem-
1
a
: concentration on spiritual things as a form of private devotion
b
: a state of mystical awareness of God's being
2
: an act of considering with attention : study
made the decision after much contemplation
3
: the act of regarding steadily
was lost in quiet contemplation of the scene
4
: intention, expectation
"A considerable crime is in contemplation."Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Examples of contemplation in a Sentence

contemplation of the meaning of life He goes to the forest to spend time in contemplation of nature. She was lost in quiet contemplation of the scene.
Recent Examples on the Web There are moments of abject fear as the unbreakable Gee (Feodor Chin) is badgered and belittled by his interrogators, but also moments of sublime contemplation when a young man chisels a poem into the wall to mark his 17 months of suffering on the island. Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 Rather than action figures, Dog and Robot are figures of contemplation. Armond White, National Review, 6 Mar. 2024 After completing those two steps, a contemplation screen will appear as Song Psychic finds the perfect song to answer your question. Chantal Waldholz, Glamour, 29 Feb. 2024 And remaining stuck firmly in the contemplation phase. Meirav Devash, Allure, 29 Feb. 2024 This method allowed for a dynamic interplay of creation and contemplation, balancing his time between painting and engaging with various forms of literature and media. Zenger News, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 First, pretty much everything Wright says in his deliberate, resonant voice echoes with meaning, with contemplation, with weight. Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 After further contemplation, Summers answered confidently. Dave Itzkoff, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Cloistered nuns remain within their convent, separating themselves from the external world in order to dedicate their lives to contemplation and prayer. Emma Colton, Fox News, 11 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contemplation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contemplacioun "religious meditation, reflection, consideration," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French contemplaciun, borrowed from Latin contemplātiōn-, contemplātiō "act of looking at something, consideration" (Late Latin, "religious meditation"), from contemplāre, contemplārī "to look at fixedly, observe, notice, ponder" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at contemplate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of contemplation was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near contemplation

Cite this Entry

“Contemplation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contemplation. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

contemplation

noun
con·​tem·​pla·​tion ˌkänt-əm-ˈplā-shən How to pronounce contemplation (audio)
ˌkän-ˌtem-
1
: the act of thinking about spiritual things : meditation
2
: the act of looking at or thinking about something steadily
3
: a looking ahead to some future event : anticipation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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