reflect upon
Mull it over
To reflect upon something is to think about it carefully and deliberately, usually over time.
The phrase suggests more sustained consideration than simply thinking—you reflect upon past decisions, experiences, or ideas in order to understand them better or draw conclusions.
She often reflects upon her childhood summers at the lake.
The scandal caused voters to reflect upon their choice of candidate.
The variant *reflect on* is slightly more common in everyday speech.
- considerThink about carefully
- ponderThink deeply about
- meditateQuiet mental focus
- mull overConsider at length
- contemplateConsider something thoroughly
think over · ruminate · sit with · think back · muse · weigh · take stock · introspection · look inward · think about · give thought to · deliberate · evaluate · sleep on it · examine · cogitate · scrutinize · brood
reflect uponjump to conclusions
Judge before full understanding
shoot from the hip · rush to judgment · knee-jerk reaction · wing it · snap judgment
reflect uponignore
Refuse to notice
disregard · overlook · dismiss · neglect · brush aside
reflect uponlook ahead
Direct attention toward future
forge ahead · leap into action · anticipate · dive in · charge ahead
reflect, upon, reflection, reflective, reflectively, reflector, reflected, reflecting, reflects