musing

1 of 2

noun

mus·​ing ˈmyü-ziŋ 

: meditation

My musings and writings on this issue do not come from the groves of academe.

—Herbert S. White

musing

2 of 2

adjective

: thoughtfully abstracted : meditative

musingly

ˈmyü-ziŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of musing

Adjective

• melancholy
• thoughtful
• reflective
• contemplative
• philosophical
• pensive

Examples of musing in a Sentence

Adjective

he was clearly in a musing mood, and did not feel like talking just then

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And yet, the fragile surety of that parataxis is stylistically undercut by the nebulous musings attached to one exceptionally promiscuous metaphor. —Emily Cox, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026

Subscribe here to our newsletter In Review by David Ehrlich, in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the best new reviews and streaming picks along with some exclusive musings — all only available to subscribers. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 May 2026

Her musings about being an American expat in Tokyo from 2007-2012 live on in the blogosphere. —Maryanne Murray Buechner, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

It is abridged, so there’s not nearly as many 90-page digressions or pseudoscientific cetology musings. —Marah Eakin, Vulture, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

see muse entry 1

Adjective

see muse entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for musing

• bruising
• choosing
• cruising
• fusing
• losing
• oozing
• using
• abusing
• accusing
• amusing
• confusing
• defusing