transitive verb

• 1Think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision.

  ‘each application is considered on its merits’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Here, though, the winemaker must consider his market carefully.’
  • ‘He asked my opinion and considered it in decisions about the manor where we once had lived.’
  • ‘He said he's got war on his mind as he considers these policies and decisions he has to make.’
  • ‘And about your ending suggestion, I will consider it very carefully.’
  • ‘It is a decision we are free to take, on a carefully considered basis.’
  • ‘Everyone must realise how important it is to carefully consider the cost, care and commitment involved in looking after a pet for the rest of its life.’
  • ‘But it is also my duty to consider every possibility carefully before making any important decision.’
  • ‘His dark eyes lock on to yours as he talks, to the extent that you feel it would be disrespectful to look away, and he considers every answer carefully before responding to the question.’
  • ‘It wasn't the first time such a thought had crossed her mind, but now she considered it carefully and hid a smile.’
  • ‘Keeping that in mind, you'll want to carefully consider the design elements that go into your deck.’
  • ‘However, the provincial liquor licensing process carefully considers the concerns of city councils.’
  • ‘My concern is that the ministry is going to make a decision based on expediency and without considering the impact their decision will have on the environment.’
  • ‘From an early age they were convinced it was impossible to make wise decisions without considering the humorous ramifications of plans gone awry.’
  • ‘Did they take the decision without considering these factors then?’
  • ‘A court system will review the operation of the committees by considering appeals against their decisions.’
  • ‘The US administration has already dismissed the decision without considering it.’
  • ‘It is important to select carefully when considering your dietary needs whilst shopping for food.’
  • ‘This is a carefully considered blueprint for urgent change from experts who expect their proposal to be taken seriously.’
  • ‘Fourth, we are choosing the state on the basis of carefully and rationally considered criteria.’
  • ‘He was making a carefully considered statement, which he well knew would be explosive in its implications.’
  • ‘The Scottish executive is believed to be considering introducing the levy to pay for new fishery management bodies.’
  • ‘They may consider leaving if they believe his legacy is at risk.’
  • ‘Some American states already control light pollution and I believe we should consider doing the same.’
  • ‘But this seemed to be one of the first times that I really believed that Katherine was considering calling it quits with Jake.’

  Synonyms

  think about, contemplate, give thought to, reflect on, examine, appraise, review

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1Think about and be drawn toward (a course of action)
     ‘he had considered giving up his job’
     More example sentences

     • ‘I agree, and think that we have made a big mistake by not considering such a course of action.’
     • ‘Perhaps the university may consider a lesser contribution towards the cost as it is not on land owned by the university.’
     • ‘Adults who want to continue with their education are being asked to consider Open University courses.’
     • ‘Rehabilitation and return to the medical course should always be considered, but may not be possible or successful.’
     • ‘Though his chief lieutenants either tried to urge an end to the war or seek one them selves separately, he refused to consider such a course.’
     • ‘He is considering tilting him towards the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup next month, in which case Strong Flow will need to win with some authority here.’
     • ‘Meanwhile, New College in Walcot and Swindon College have confirmed they are considering offering the course.’
     • ‘I know the air is pretty rarified in academia, but has the good professor considered taking an evening course in the university of life?’
     • ‘Something else that he had considered was a nursing course at Cregg House.’
     • ‘For example, consider attending a course or convention offered by a food service vendor or supplier.’
     • ‘I would urge anyone else who has similar problems to consider undertaking this course if they are given the opportunity.’
     • ‘She said she would be asking them to consider fully implementing refresher courses.’
     • ‘If all this sounds a bit too much like hard work, you could of course consider putting yourself in storage for the winter.’
     • ‘He and Pete have been looking at multimillion-dollar homes and Darryl is considering buying a golf course.’
     • ‘When snags pose no safety hazard to golfers or course maintenance staff, consider leaving them in place.’
     • ‘Perhaps you would consider providing a gift towards our Jamaican outreach.’
  2. 1.2Regard (someone or something) as having a specified quality.
     with object and complement ‘I consider him irresponsible’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Despite her ugly qualities, I still consider her a person who offers excellent company.’
     • ‘If you are poor but have all good qualities you are considered not worth knowing.’
     • ‘At first regarded as an eccentric minor poet, she is now considered a major writer of startling originality.’
     • ‘I think in America, some people consider us one of the very last remaining communist countries.’
     • ‘Neighbours consider him a kind person who is ready to help others, while criminals see him as a thorn in their side.’
     • ‘I personally consider anyone that thinks this is a joke to be too shallow to be called a philosopher.’
     • ‘As a result, many people often mistakenly consider quantity and quality of training to be synonymous.’
     • ‘He is considered conservative on social issues and holds strong republican views on the North.’
     • ‘In his time he was considered eccentric for conserving wildlife while most of his contemporaries were shooting it.’
     • ‘In some quarters, the dove is considered to possess angelic qualities.’
     • ‘If, however, a person considers him or herself to be different from the group, it will be easier to disregard the group's opinion.’
     • ‘Some of this support surely comes from some of the same people who'd considered him something of a cold fish.’
     • ‘Hey, did I ever care about whether or not people considered me an idiot at all?’
     • ‘Some people consider me an ambassador for skateboarding, but at the core, I'm just a pro skater.’
     • ‘It is quite a fantasy to have a whole people consider you divine after all.’
     • ‘I don't really know him very well as a person, but I consider him one of my fierce rivals.’
     • ‘If on any occasion the other person turns against him, he considers him ungrateful.’
     • ‘Unless of course you consider operating a motor vehicle at high speeds as some kind of cosmic revelation.’
     • ‘This is considered a famous poem, and reflects a graceful attitude towards riches and power.’
     Synonyms

     regard as, deem, hold to be, think, think of as, reckon, believe, judge, adjudge, rate, class as, account, count, gauge, look on as, view as, see as, take for, interpret as, suppose, find

     View synonyms
  3. 1.3Believe; think.
     ‘all three patients were considered to be in a critical condition’
     More example sentences

     • ‘I don't consider that I'm to blame’
     • ‘I have always considered myself to be reasonably green, driving a small car, walking to work and recycling much of my rubbish.’
     • ‘I know some people probably consider me to be a trophy wife - when they meet me they realise that's not the case.’
     • ‘I have taken these into account and considered each dream to be a form of communication.’
     • ‘I think I must leave others to decide for themselves on the point, as my judgement may not be considered to be impartial.’
     • ‘The judge may have considered that there was no need to repeat all of the details in the summing up.’
     • ‘Investigators are considering this to be the work of a suicide cult, though this is believed to be purely speculation as of right now.’
     • ‘At that time, the Inspector considered Sandown Hall to be of historic interest and a fine early example of the Greek revival style.’
     • ‘It offers a free search engine and is considered to be one of the best on the market.’
     • ‘It is considered to be the search engine with the largest reach on the Internet.’
     • ‘Only once did the excitable youngster's tongue become tied, this when attempting to articulate the word ‘ambitions’, in the course of an enquiry into what he considers his to be.’
     • ‘At this point, he considers that he is finished with this nonsense, but, the gate is still there and the prospect of living a dull academic life pales in comparison with the potentials he saw in the future.’
     • ‘These works were thought to be the work of a historical figure named Hermes Trismegistus who was considered to be a contemporary of Moses.’
     Synonyms

     believe, think, consider, maintain, imagine, be of the view, reckon, guess, estimate, conjecture, fancy, suspect, feel, have a feeling, have the feeling, assume, presume, take it, suppose, expect, gather

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  4. 1.4Take (something) into account when making an assessment or judgment.
     ‘one service area is not enough when you consider the number of cars using this highway’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Sometimes a system may look expensive but when you consider factors like reduced installation time, higher aeration efficiency, greater longevity of the products, reduced maintenance needs and comprehensive warranty programs it becomes clear that overall you often get more than what you pay for.’
     • ‘As we've said, custom design doesn't come cheap but when you consider what you get, we think it's great value.’
     • ‘The deaths and torture scenes are rather grisly when you consider the era in which this movie came out.’
     Synonyms

     take into consideration, take into account, take account of, make allowances for, respect, bear in mind, be mindful of, have regard to, reckon with, remember, mind, mark, heed, note, not forget, make provision for, take to heart, have regard to, pay regard to, be guided by

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  5. 1.5Look attentively at.
     ‘he considered the women around the table with wariness’
     More example sentences

     • ‘He considered her face a moment before he reached for her arm.’
     • ‘Narrowing his eyes, and with one hand tucked in the silk pocket of his well-cut slacks, he considered her face as if she were a portrait by Rubens or Goya.’
     • ‘He sighed to himself as he considered the portrait for a long moment.’
     Synonyms

     look at, contemplate, observe, regard, survey, view, scrutinize, scan, examine, inspect

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