contemplate
- 01 C1 Advanced
to look at or think about something carefully for a long time.
to observe or consider something with continued attention and deliberate care.
Simple“She sat by the window to contemplate the meaning of the letter she had just received.”
In context“The philosopher spent his final years in the mountains, where he could contemplate the complexities of human existence without distraction.”
UsageOften used with a direct object representing an abstract concept or a physical object of beauty.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to think about doing something in the future.
to consider a particular course of action as a serious possibility.
Simple“The couple began to contemplate moving to the countryside after their first child was born.”
In context“Faced with declining profits, the board of directors had to contemplate the possibility of closing several international branches.”
UsageWhen followed by another verb, it requires the gerund form.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse this with 'think about'; remind them that 'contemplate' implies a more serious or formal level of consideration.
PitfallI am contemplating to quit my job. I am contemplating quitting my job.When followed by another action, use the -ing form (gerund), not the infinitive with 'to'.
“From the Scottish archipelago of St Kilda come this avian-inspired group, whose new album for AD93 contemplates the island’s birds.”
“As summer begins and Tad’s illness progresses, though, Frog must contemplate an unthinkable future.”
First attested in the 1590s; borrowed from Latin contemplātus, the perfect active participle of contemplor (“to observe, survey, gaze (at), contemplate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). See also template.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.