contemplated upon

USAGE SUMMARY

"contemplated upon" is not a correct grammatical structure.
The correct phrase is "contemplate upon." You can use it when you want to describe a thoughtful process of considering a subject or idea. Example: She contemplated upon the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing the new job opportunity.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It was an idea that all new inmates contemplated upon first entering the prison.

The New Yorker

I am always appalled at this and have even contemplated, upon making the reservation, saying something like: "My husband has a severe allergy to olives.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

We shouldn't waste our time contemplating upon things other than the Supreme Being.

Huffington Post

Your attempts here would be to tune your minds to meditate upon God with a form by chanting prayers and then contemplate upon the eternal purusha[6] by chanting the purusha sukta[7].

WikiHow

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Vice

The heart of the issue raised by the motion is this: Section 102.166, Florida Statutes, contemplates that upon request a county canvassing board may authorize a manual recount of votes cast in an election.

The New York Times

I believe it was Carrie Bradshaw of SATC fame who first contemplated the expectation placed upon single people to celebrate the lifestyle choices of their be-coupled friends.

Independent

Presumably because he initially contemplated an epic centring upon British history and the heroic involvement of the legendary king Arthur, Milton researched early accounts of Britain, ranging across records from the Anglo-Saxon era through works by the Venerable Bede and Geoffrey of Monmouth and into 16th- and 17th-century accounts by Raphael Holinshed and William Camden, along with many others.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The ability to contemplate and reflect upon the condition of the self and the selfhood of others derives from the relationship which the organism bears with respect to its next higher organisational levels: the pair, group, or society of which it is a part (the 'Umwelt' of the organism).

Communicative and Integrative Biology

More and more of my students who have scored well on calculus A.P. exams have not seen, much less contemplated, the precise mathematical definition of a limit upon which calculus stands, for just one example.

The New York Times

From France, Bogdan-Pitești had contemplated the idea of revolutionizing Romanian art, and, upon his arrival to Bucharest, began organizing artists' reunions at the Kübler and Fialkowski coffeehouses.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If you intend to use "contemplate", use it without 'upon'. Example: "I contemplated the decision carefully."

Common error

A common mistake is adding 'upon' after "contemplated". "Contemplate" already implies deep thought, so adding 'upon' is usually redundant and grammatically questionable. Simply use "contemplated" followed by the object of your thought.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contemplated upon" functions as a verb phrase, where "contemplated" is the verb in the past tense. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, the addition of "upon" is grammatically questionable, making the phrase non-standard.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "contemplated upon" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Standard English prefers using "contemplated" alone or replacing the phrase with alternatives like "reflected on" or "thought about". Despite its presence in some news and encyclopedic contexts, its incorrectness advises against its use in formal writing. The examples provided by Ludwig, while demonstrating its existence, do not validate its grammatical soundness. Therefore, it is best to avoid "contemplated upon" in favor of clearer and more accepted alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considered

Highlights the act of taking something into account, replacing the phrase and omitting 'upon'.

considered carefully

Emphasizes the carefulness of the consideration, omitting 'upon'.

reflected on

Focuses on thoughtful consideration, omitting the 'upon'.

deliberated on

Suggests a more formal and thorough process of consideration, using 'on' instead of 'upon'.

reflected deeply on

Emphasizes the depth of reflection, using 'on' instead of 'upon'.

thought about

Emphasizes the act of thinking, replacing 'contemplated' with a simpler term and removing 'upon'.

gave thought to

Highlights the action of giving consideration, avoiding 'contemplated' and 'upon' altogether.

meditated on

Implies a deeper, more spiritual form of contemplation, using 'on' instead of 'upon'.

pondered over

Conveys a sense of deep and prolonged thought, replacing the phrase with a different preposition.

mused about

Indicates a more casual and reflective consideration, using 'about' instead of 'upon'.

FAQs

Is "contemplated upon" grammatically correct?

No, "contemplated upon" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use alternatives like "reflected on" or "considered".

What's a better way to say "contemplated upon"?

Instead of "contemplated upon", you can use phrases such as "thought about", "deliberated on", or simply "contemplated" without the "upon".

How to use "contemplate" correctly in a sentence?

Use "contemplate" directly followed by the object of your thought. For example, "I contemplated the consequences" is correct. Avoid adding "upon" after "contemplate".

What's the difference between "contemplate" and "reflect"?

"Contemplate" implies a focused and deliberate consideration, while "reflect" suggests a more general and often retrospective thought process. You can use "reflected on" as a replacement.