1
a
: the act of cogitating : meditation
b
: the capacity to think or reflect
2
: a single thought

Examples of cogitation in a Sentence

as long as there's a national deficit, interplanetary exploration will most likely remain an agreeable cogitation and nothing more
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The following cogitations, therefore, are not totally uninformed noisy opining. Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 The narrator knows that there is something cheapening and peculiarly hollow about all this cogitation. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cogitation was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cogitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cogitation. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cogitation

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!