Meanings
nouncontemplation (countable and uncountable, plural contemplations)
plural contemplations
- countableuncountableThe act of contemplating; being highly concentrated in thought; musing.
Near-synonyms: meditation, cogitation; see also Thesaurus:attention, Thesaurus:consideration
2 more examples
Now, 80 percent is accessible — quickly filling with exhibition spaces, stylish restaurants and cafes, bookstores, and highly profitable gift stores, as well as quiet walkways, shady stands of trees and odd nooks that invite contemplation of bygone dynasties.
2019 August 3, Ian Johnson, “The Forbidden City Opens Wide as China Projects New Pride in Its Past”, in New York TimesMr. Pickwick congratulated the fortunate owner of the irresistible garments on their acquisition; and Mr. Peter Magnus remained a few moments apparently absorbed in contemplation.
1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, chapter 22, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLCSynonyms: meditation, cogitation, advertence, advertency, attention, consideration, heed, heedfulness · Antonyms: mindlessness, roteness, reflexiveness, autopilot
- countableuncountablelifestyleHoly meditation.
Near-synonyms: devotions, prayer
1 more example
Whilst he roamed about with his flocks, through ice and snow, communion with his God in prayer, and quiet contemplation, were his portion.
1851, The Annual Monitor for 1851: A Sketch of the Life and Labours of Patrick, The Apostle of the Irish - countableuncountableThe act of looking forward to a future event.
Near-synonym: anticipation
Synonyms: anticipation
- countableuncountableThe state of being considered or planned.
contemplation of port facility expansion
2 more examples
Near-synonyms: consideration, planning, proposal
He concludes: "This letter is written in contemplation of legal proceedings, and is a pre-action protocol letter within the meaning of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998."
2020 December 2, Barry Doe, “National Rail Timetable changes and reductions”, in Rail, page 73Synonyms: consideration, planning, proposal
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act of contemplating; being highly concentrated in thought; musing.
Similar
nounThe act of looking forward to a future event.
Similar
nounThe state of being considered or planned.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna calm, lengthy, intent consideration
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincontemplatio
- Old Frenchcontemplation
- Middle Englishcontemplacioun
- Englishcontemplation
From Middle English contemplacioun, from Old French contemplation, from Latin contemplatio. By surface analysis, contemplate + -ion.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic تَفَكُّر
- تَفَكُّر (tafakkur)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
Bulgarian размишление, съзерцание
- размишление (razmišlenie)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- съзерцание (săzercanie)Holy meditation
- очакване (očakvane)The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Catalan contemplació
- contemplacióThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
Czech rozjímání, meditace
- rozjímáníThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- meditaceHoly meditation
Dutch beschouwing, bespiegeling
- beschouwingThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- bespiegelingThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- overwegingThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- contemplatieThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
Finnish tutkiskelu, mietiskely
- tutkiskeluThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- mietiskelyThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- uskonnollinen mietiskelyHoly meditation
- suunnitteluThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
French contemplation
- contemplationThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
German Betrachtung, Meditation
- BetrachtungThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- MeditationHoly meditation
- ErwartenThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Greek διαλογισμός, στοχασμός
- διαλογισμός (dialogismós)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- στοχασμός (stochasmós)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- περισυλλογή (perisyllogí)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- ενατένιση (enaténisi)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- περισυλλογή (perisyllogí)Holy meditation
- θεωρία (theoría)Holy meditation
- πρόβλεψη (próvlepsi)The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
- πρόθεση (próthesi)The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Hindi चिंतन, ध्यान
- चिंतन (cintan)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- ध्यान (dhyān)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- मनन (manan)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- ध्यान (dhyān)Holy meditation
- साधना (sādhnā)Holy meditation
- तप (tap)Holy meditation
- तपस्या (tapasyā)Holy meditation
- मनन (manan)The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
- चिंतन (cintan)The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Māori whakaaroarohanga
- whakaaroarohangaThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
Polish kontemplacja, medytacja
- kontemplacjaThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- medytacjaThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- bogomyślnośćHoly meditation
Portuguese contemplação, contemplação
- contemplaçãoThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- contemplaçãoThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Russian размышле́ние, разду́мье
- размышле́ние (razmyšlénije)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- разду́мье (razdúmʹje)The act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- созерца́ние (sozercánije)Holy meditation
- медита́ция (meditácija)Holy meditation
- благочести́вые размышле́ния (blagočestívyje razmyšlénija)Holy meditation
- предвкуше́ние (predvkušénije)The act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Spanish contemplación, contemplación
- contemplaciónThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- contemplaciónHoly meditation
- contemplaciónThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Swedish begrundande, meditation
- begrundandeThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- meditationHoly meditation
- andaktHoly meditation
- betraktandeThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Turkish düşünme, tefekkür etme
- düşünmeThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- tefekkür etmeThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- meditasyonHoly meditation
- beklemeThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Vietnamese thiền định, chiêm niệm
- thiền địnhThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- chiêm niệmThe act of the mind in considering with attention; continued attention of the mind to a particular subject; meditation; musing; study
- thiền địnhHoly meditation
- chiêm niệmHoly meditation
- thiền địnhThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
- chiêm niệmThe act of looking forward to an event as about to happen; expectation; the act of intending or purposing
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with contemplation
informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
contemplation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contemplation
MLA
“contemplation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contemplation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “contemplation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contemplation.
Source: contemplation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.