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

Independent filmmaker Tom Huang meditates on these very questions in his utterly lovable new feature-length movie Find Me, now available for streaming on Amazon. — Kathryn Miles, Outside Online, "'Find Me' Is the Indie Adventure Film We All Need," 4 June 2019 Oh, and there's also a 5,000-square-foot barn on the property where Jeff Bridges enjoys meditating, painting, and jamming out with his band. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "Jeff Bridges is Selling His Montecito Home For $8 Million," 23 May 2019 One can meditate while cooking, bathing, or going for a long walk. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What May's Gemini Horoscope Predictions Mean for You," 30 Apr. 2019 The new poll found many caregivers find healthy ways to cope, such as praying, meditating, spending time outdoors or talking about their situation. — Lauran Neergaard, The Seattle Times, "AP-NORC Poll: Many caregivers neglecting their own health," 15 Oct. 2018 Take some alone time to meditate, or make a trip to the dry cleaners to have your most prized pieces professionally cared for. — Randon Rosenbohm, Allure, "What May’s Aries Horoscope Means for You," 30 Apr. 2019 People stop to pray, meditate, and read or hear Biblical passages at each station. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, "What Is Good Friday and Why Do We Celebrate It?," 22 Feb. 2019 Performing a spell just means setting an intention and then conducting a ritual — be that lighting a candle or meditating in the bathtub — to fulfill it. — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, "9 Myths About Witchcraft That Modern-Day Witches Like Me Are Tired of Hearing," 5 Apr. 2018 De-stress your distress: Find time to meditate, enjoy friends, sleep sufficiently, help others, and/or do yoga. — Michael Roizen, M.d., And Mehmet Oz, Houston Chronicle, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of treatment," 24 June 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.