meditate

med·i·tate | \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt

How to pronounce meditate (audio)

\

meditated; meditating

Definition of meditate

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.

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 All people, regardless of religion are welcome to practice, meditate, shop and eat at the center. — Bisma Parvez, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Zen Center hopes to make Hamtramck the green roof capital of Michigan," 19 Dec. 2019 Try reaching out to friends and family, taking a walkabout in nature, meditating, even reading or playing with a pet. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN, "Intuitive eating: The anti-diet, or how pleasure from food is the answer, say its creators," 31 Jan. 2020 On a warm afternoon at a coffee shop in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, Cameruci says these plans include getting back into yoga, meditating, maybe buying a motorcycle and having his friends over for backyard bonfires. — Katie Bain, Billboard, "Flosstradamus' Curt Cameruci Conquered the Dance World, But Now, He Needs a Break," 20 Dec. 2019 Start meditating, or pretending to meditate, so everyone will leave you alone. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "How Choosing the Right Time to Eat Lunch Can Shape Your Whole Day," 10 Sep. 2019 Later, as the memory of the massacre gave way in its immediacy, new generations of Romanovs took to art for reasons not so different from the rest of us: to meditate, to understand, and to express. — The New York Review of Books, "Anastasia Edel," 8 Apr. 2019 Your favorite Cleveland Yoga studio isn’t about to disappear like some meditating Luke Skywalker. — Zachary Lewis, cleveland, "Cleveland Yoga opens digital branch on NEOU streaming service: Stretching Out," 21 Jan. 2020 Teens can complete leadership training — and even do yoga and meditate. — Emily Hopkins, Indianapolis Star, "Season for Sharing: CAFE center creates hub of services for far eastside residents in need," 12 Dec. 2019 In addition to medical recommendations, her doctor suggested meditating every day for 15 minutes. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Mandy Moore's Definition of Wellness Goes Way Beyond Meditation and Supplements," 5 Nov. 2019

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.

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Dictionary Entries near meditate

meditate on/upon

Statistics for meditate

Last Updated

22 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Meditate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meditate. Accessed 24 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for meditate

meditate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of meditate

: to spend time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation

See the full definition for meditate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

meditate

med·i·tate | \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt

\

meditated; meditating

Kids Definition of meditate

1 : to consider carefully : plan Here I meditated nothing but my escape …— Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

2 : to spend time in quiet thinking : reflect

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