What does contemplate mean?
To contemplate is to think about something deeply, patiently, and at length, giving sustained attention to a question, a possibility, or even a scene before one's eyes. It is a stronger and more deliberate act than casual thinking: when someone contemplates resigning from a job or contemplating a move across the world, they are weighing the matter seriously, often with a degree of hesitation. The word also has a quieter, more receptive sense — gazing thoughtfully at a painting, a landscape, or the night sky — reflecting its origins in careful observation. Contemplate derives from Latin roots connected to marking out a space for watching the heavens, so the word's history links deep thought with sky-gazing. Formal in tone but widely understood, it appears frequently in writing about philosophy, religion, art, and life decisions, and its derived forms include contemplation, contemplative, and contemplatively. A useful quirk: it pairs with the -ing form of verbs rather than the infinitive — 'contemplate moving', never 'contemplate to move'.
verbTo think about something deeply and at length; to consider carefully and thoughtfully. It can also mean to look at or regard something attentively, especially for a prolonged period.
- To think about something deeply and at length; to consider carefully.
- To have something in mind as a possible course of action; to intend or plan tentatively (e.g. 'contemplate leaving the company').
- To look at or gaze at something thoughtfully and attentively.
"She sat by the window to contemplate the decision that would change her life."
"He paused to contemplate the vastness of the ocean before answering."
"After months of deliberation, she finally began to contemplate a move abroad."
Contemplate comes from Latin words literally meaning 'to mark out a space for observing the stars' — ancient sky-watching gave English one of its deepest thinking words.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of contemplate
Contemplate comes from the Latin verb contemplari, meaning to observe attentively or consider, formed from com- ('with' or 'intensively') and templum, a space marked out for observation, especially for reading omens or watching the heavens. The word passed into English via French in the late Middle Ages, initially carrying strong religious associations of devotional meditation before broadening to secular deep thought. Cognates and relatives include contemplation and contemplative, both drawn directly from the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How contemplate is actually used
Contemplate carries a formal or literary register compared with everyday alternatives like 'think about' or 'consider'. In the sense of intending an action ('he is contemplating retirement'), it often implies seriousness and some hesitation. The phrase 'contemplating one's navel' is used humorously or critically to describe self-absorbed reflection. The verb takes a gerund rather than an infinitive: 'contemplate going', not 'contemplate to go'.
Easily confused with contemplate
Contempt is a noun meaning the feeling that someone or something is worthless or deserving scorn, while contemplate is a verb meaning to think about something deeply — the two share only a superficial similarity of sound and spelling.