It’s that time of year when many businesses reflect on the year that is about to end – on their successes, their failures and their plans for the new year. If you’re like me, you’ll be reading such reflective articles and blog posts and going through the same process.
I was wondering whether to write a similar post but then decided that I’d rather (prefer) look at the different words (synonyms) we have for the word “reflect” in particular the phrasal verb “reflect on” and write about how we use them in a business context.
Let’s start with the definition of “reflect on” which means
“to think carefully about possibilities and opinions.”
Thumbing through my Thesaurus, I’ve come up with 8 synonyms for “reflect on”. So here goes…..
1. Consider
“We need to consider all the options before we make a decision.”
“Things have got serious now. You may want to consider your position in this company before making your next move”.
2. Ponder (over)
“I often find him pondering over the decisions he’s made over the years.”
“He prefers to ponder over all his options before making any decision.”
3. Deliberate (on)
“The committee took weeks to deliberate on the critical issue of equal pay.”
“He deliberated a long time on whether to accept the job of senior investment officer.”
4. Contemplate
“We’re contemplating on whether it would be a wise decision to enter the Far Eastern market now.”
“It’s too terrible to contemplate my client’s reaction when I tell them that there’s been a further delay with the project”.
5. Meditate
“After a hard day at work I often need to meditate.”
“When I meditate I am able to think through my problems.”
6. Mull Something Over
“Thank you for the offer. I am going to need a few days to mull things over.”
“Why don’t you take a few days and mull things over and come back to us with your decision?”
7. Chew (something) Over (informal)
“I’ve been chewing the problem over for a few days now.”
“Officials meet regularly to chew over the future of the company.”
8. Analyse
“We need to analyse the figures accurately before submitting to the Board.”
“Let’s analyse the situation carefully.”
Have I missed any other synonyms? Please let me know.
Over to you, what have you been reflecting on recently? Share your thoughts in the comments box.
Ciao for now
Shanthi
