meditate

verb

med·​i·​tate ˈme-də-ˌtāt How to pronounce meditate (audio)
meditated; meditating

intransitive verb

1
: to engage in contemplation or reflection
He meditated long and hard before announcing his decision.
2
: to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness

transitive verb

1
: to focus one's thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over
He was meditating his past achievements.
2
: to plan or project in the mind : intend, purpose
He was meditating revenge.
meditator noun
Choose the Right Synonym for meditate

ponder, meditate, muse, ruminate mean to consider or examine attentively or deliberately.

ponder implies a careful weighing of a problem or, often, prolonged inconclusive thinking about a matter.

pondered the course of action

meditate implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply.

meditated on the meaning of life

muse suggests a more or less focused daydreaming as in remembrance.

mused upon childhood joys

ruminate implies going over the same matter in one's thoughts again and again but suggests little of either purposive thinking or rapt absorption.

ruminated on past disappointments

Examples of meditate in a Sentence

He meditates for an hour every morning. I've been meditating a career change for months.
Recent Examples on the Web Now, the woman who was once happy to let her husband lead chases the adventures herself: Hot air balloon rides over the Maasai Mara in Kenya, zip lining through a St. Lucia rainforest, and meditating with a Buddhist monk in South Korea, among them. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 Research published in 2020 demonstrates that people who meditate are more self-aware. Alisa Cohn, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 One way to help calm stressful thoughts or feelings is by meditating. Andrea Stanley, Health, 4 Mar. 2024 The beloved indie tune is known for its delicate acoustic guitar melody and substantive lyrics meditating on familial strife, poverty and dreams of creating a better life alongside a loved one. Jaden Thompson, Variety, 5 Feb. 2024 Even on game days, McCarthy would take a seat at the base of a goalpost a couple of hours before kickoff and meditated to help prepare him for the pressure that comes with playing his pivotal position. Larry Lage, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 The next few days were bliss: a hike through bamboo forests, meditating by a river, dancing in her underwear on a hillside, chilling in a cafe playing her drum. Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 But spending 30 minutes meditating or taking a walk during your lunch break probably will. Bryce Hoffman, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 People who meditate regularly and practice mindfulness techniques like journaling and breathwork can improve their focus and creativity while reducing anxiety. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'meditate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin meditatus, past participle of meditari, frequentative of medēri to remedy — more at medical

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of meditate was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near meditate

Cite this Entry

“Meditate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meditate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

meditate

verb
med·​i·​tate ˈmed-ə-ˌtāt How to pronounce meditate (audio)
meditated; meditating
1
a
: to consider or think over carefully : contemplate
b
: to spend time in quiet thinking : reflect
2
: intend, plan
meditate a trip abroad

More from Merriam-Webster on meditate

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