verb
cogitate
KAHJ-ih-tayt/ˈkɑːdʒɪteɪt/
To think carefully about something.
She pauses to cogitate before making such an important decision.
Etymology
Latin cogitare meant to think, reflect, or turn something over in the mind. The English sense emphasizes earnest, sustained consideration rather than merely having a thought.
In context
She comforted herself and sat down to cogitate.
More examples
- He cogitates over each option before choosing one.
- We cogitated about the offer all weekend.
- After cogitating for an hour, I finally understood the problem.
Forms
cogitate · cogitates · cogitated · cogitating
cogitation noun — The act of thinking carefully about something.
Similar words
- ponder
- Often suggests weighing a particular question slowly and thoughtfully.
- deliberate
- Emphasizes considering options carefully before making a decision.
- reflect
- Often involves looking back on experiences to understand them.