meditate

verb

med·i·tate | \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt

meditated; meditating

Definition of meditate

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.

Other Words from meditate Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about meditate

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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

Thanks to Instagram — and mounting stress levels — millions of people consider this method the best way to plan, reflect, and meditate. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "What Is a Bullet Journal? Everything You Need to Know Before You BuJo," 30 Jan. 2019 Siem Reap and Tonlé Sap LakeStay at Amansara, a masterpiece of mid-century Khmer architecture—the hotel’s guides and access to special experiences like meditating with a Buddhist monk are excellent. — Rebecca Misner, Condé Nast Traveler, "Going Deeper in Cambodia," 19 Nov. 2018 In a review of 47 studies, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that meditating for about 2.5 hours a week moderately improved anxiety after eight weeks. — Maridel Reyes, Glamour, "'Biohacking' Your Anxiety Is a Buzzy Practice—but What Does It Actually Mean?," 16 Oct. 2018 The masterful performance ended on a high note, as several children were spotted onstage meditating before jumping into an impressive dance routine. — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, "7 Best Moments From the 2018 BET Awards," 25 June 2018 People attending Wednesday’s service at the Agape International Spiritual Center meditated before the church’s founder and spiritual director, Michael Beckwith, introduced Chiang. — Michael Livingston, latimes.com, "John Chiang, campaigning in church, says faith helped his family overcome struggles," 31 May 2018 Sister Gerety likes to meditate in her home’s sunroom, which looks out over a rose garden. — Kris Frieswick, WSJ, "The Multimillion-Dollar Homes on Campus Where Rent is Free," 4 Oct. 2018 Another shows Blue meditating in a swinging outdoor chair. — Isabel Greenberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "Blue Ivy on Vacation Is Now the Hottest Meme of the Summer," 26 July 2018 Lamar uses his master powers to make the precious neophyte's journey as tough as possible before meeting face-to-face while meditating in mid-air. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, "SZA Takes Kung Fu Lessons From Kendrick Lamar in New 'Doves in the Wind' Video," 27 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'meditate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.