deliberating
Thinking it through
Deliberating is the act of carefully considering or discussing something before reaching a decision.
A jury deliberates a verdict; a committee deliberates policy options.
The word implies thoughtful weighing of alternatives rather than hasty judgment: The board spent three hours deliberating before announcing their choice.
Sustained reflective attention
- ponderingThinking deeply about something
- mullingDeep, slow consideration
- musingReflective contemplation
- ruminationProlonged, repetitive thinking
cogitation · meditation · introspection · soul-searching · self-questioning · brooding · philosophical · thoughtful
Drawing logical conclusions
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
- weighingMeasuring mass or heft
- analysisMethodical study of parts
scrutiny · consideration · judgment · deduction · inference · systematic · methodical · examining
Exchange of ideas
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- counterargumentPoint challenging another's position
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- disputationFormal argumentative exchange
contention · cross-examination · rebuttal · back-and-forth · negotiation · forum · consensus-building · conferring
Not firmly known
- indecisiveUnable to make choices
- waveringShowing unsteady resolve
- vacillatingSwaying between choices
- ambivalentHaving contradictory feelings
irresolute · dithering · pausing · stalling · unsure · equivocating · noncommittal · waffling
contemplation
Sustained reflective attention
- ponderingThinking deeply about something
- mullingDeep, slow consideration
- musingReflective contemplation
rumination · cogitation · meditation · introspection · soul-searching · self-questioning · brooding · philosophical · thoughtful · considering
reasoning
Drawing logical conclusions
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
- assessmentFormal evaluation of worth
- weighingMeasuring mass or heft
analysis · scrutiny · consideration · judgment · deduction · inference · systematic · methodical · examining · appraising
discussion
Exchange of ideas
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- counterargumentPoint challenging another's position
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
disputation · contention · cross-examination · rebuttal · back-and-forth · negotiation · forum · consensus-building · conferring · consulting
uncertain
Not firmly known
- indecisiveUnable to make choices
- waveringShowing unsteady resolve
- vacillatingSwaying between choices
ambivalent · irresolute · dithering · pausing · stalling · unsure · equivocating · noncommittal · waffling · torn
- thinkingthinking, reasoning, thought, ponder, contemplate
- mental processesthinking, think, reasoning, cognition, pondering
- decision makingchoice, preference, picking, selection, options
- indecisionindecision, indecisiveness, conflicted, hesitation, indecisive
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, hesitate, procrastinate
- talkingtalking, chatting, conversing, gabbing, jabbering
deliberatingrushing
Rapid forward movement
shooting from the hip · jumping to conclusions · jumping in · reacting · winging it
deliberatingignoring
Deliberately not noticing
disregarding · dismissing · neglecting · overlooking · tuning out
deliberatingdeciding
Making a choice
acting · committing · executing · proceeding · concluding
- jury deliberationJurors' private decision-making process
- court deliberationsPrivate legal decision discussions