contemplation

noun

con·​tem·​pla·​tion ˌkän-təm-ˈplā-shən 

-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

Synonyms

• meditation

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

New moon The new moon phase symbolizes new beginnings, marking a time of introspection and contemplation. —Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 6 June 2024

Victoria Petrovich’s set was minimal but useful, but some of Rosie Glen-Lambert’s direction struck me as wrong-headed, nowhere more so than in a supernumerary robot’s contemplation of male reproductive parts. —Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2024

There the three of them stood in contemplation, looking a little like a child star and her security detail. —Joseph Bernstein Robert Petkoff Krish Seenivasan Devin Murphy, New York Times, 3 June 2024

This could also be an insightful time to gain more self-knowledge and pause in quiet contemplation, so this is the year to save your PTO days for a monastery retreat. —Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2024

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

Phrases Containing contemplation

• in contemplation
• self-contemplation

Kids Definition

contemplation

noun

con·​tem·​pla·​tion ˌkänt-əm-ˈplā-shən 

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