Phrase guide

think over

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

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Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To ponder or reflect on a subject.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • When he has time to think over what he did, he will regret it.
  • Go home, think it over and tell me your decision on Monday.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

reflect deeply on a subject

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I mulled over the events of the afternoon
  • philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years
  • The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chew over, meditate, ponder, excogitate, contemplate, muse, reflect, mull, mull over, ruminate, speculate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: think, cogitate, cerebrate

Narrower terms: premeditate, theologize, theologise, introspect, bethink, cogitate, wonder, question, puzzle, study, consider

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: обмислям (obmisljam) — ponder or reflect
  • Chinese Mandarin: 深思熟慮 /深思熟虑 (shēnsīshúlǜ) — ponder or reflect
  • Chinese Mandarin: 反思 (fǎnsī) — ponder or reflect
  • Chinese Mandarin: 考慮 /考虑 (kǎolǜ) — ponder or reflect
  • Finnish: pohtia — ponder or reflect
  • Finnish: miettiä — ponder or reflect
  • Finnish: harkita — ponder or reflect
  • Finnish: ajatella — ponder or reflect
  • French: réfléchir — ponder or reflect
  • German: nachdenken — ponder or reflect
  • German: überlegen — ponder or reflect
  • Gothic: 𐌼𐌹𐍄𐍉𐌽 (mitōn) — ponder or reflect
  • Hungarian: végiggondol — ponder or reflect
  • Hungarian: átgondol — ponder or reflect
  • Ingrian: meettiä — ponder or reflect
  • Latin: dēlīberō — ponder or reflect
  • Polish: przemyśliwać — ponder or reflect
  • Polish: przemyślać — ponder or reflect
  • Polish: przemyśleć — ponder or reflect
  • Russian: обду́мать (obdúmatʹ) — ponder or reflect
  • Spanish: ponderar — ponder or reflect
  • Spanish: recapacitar — ponder or reflect
  • Ukrainian: розду́мувати (rozdúmuvaty) — ponder or reflect
  • Ukrainian: розмірко́вувати (rozmirkóvuvaty) — ponder or reflect
  • Ukrainian: обду́мати (obdúmaty) — ponder or reflect
  • Ukrainian: проду́мати (prodúmaty) — ponder or reflect