ruminate

verb

ru·mi·nate ˈrü-mə-ˌnāt

ruminated; ruminating

Synonyms of ruminate next

transitive verb

: to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly

: to chew repeatedly for an extended period

intransitive verb

: to chew again what has been chewed slightly and swallowed : chew the cud

: to engage in contemplation : reflect

rumination

ˌrü-mə-ˈnā-shən

noun

ruminative

ˈrü-mə-ˌnā-tiv

adjective

ruminatively adverb

ruminator

ˈrü-mə-ˌnā-tər

noun

Did you know?

When you ruminate, you chew something over, either literally or figuratively. Literal rumination may seem a little gross to humans, but to cows, chewing your cud (that's partially digested food brought up from the stomach for another chew) is just a natural part of life. Figurative ruminating is much more palatable to humans; that kind of deep, meditative thought is often deemed quite a worthy activity. The verb ruminate has described metaphorical chewing over since the early 1500s and actual chewing since later that same century. Our English word derives from and shares the meanings of the Latin ruminari, which in turn derives from rumen, the Latin name for the first stomach compartment of ruminant animals (that is, creatures like cows that chew their cud).

Choose the Right Synonym for ruminate

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 ruminate in a Sentence

The question got us ruminating on the real value of wealth. He ruminated over the implications of their decision.

Recent Examples on the Web Roth’s masterpiece also ruminates on the submerged grief for a deceased brother and the true freedom of anti-Puritan licentiousness. —

Ryan Chapman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023 Carolyn would ruminate on every detail—the cuff, hem, arm hole, length—her exacting eye always on the go. —

Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 Here, the man ruminates on the last 20 years of the brand by touching on its most iconic moments, plus a deep cut or two. —

José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2023 Stereophonic pulls a similar trick: The band members riff on everything from the surreal experience of sudden fame to the relative hotness of Donald Sutherland (leading into a monologue where Canfield, heartbreakingly still, ruminates on the sadness of Don’t Look Now). —

Vulture, 29 Oct. 2023 And Calvin's pen pal, Minister Wakely, gets substantial screentime with Elizabeth to ruminate on clashes between faith and science. —

Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 13 Oct. 2023 Here, they’ve ostensibly been given a platform through which to reclaim their images and ruminate on the blizzard of cultural forces that drove them to the top. —

Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2023 In their sprawling discussion, Mitchell ruminated on her relationship to the marketplace of rock and pop, offering an enduring roadmap for art-making. —

Jenn Pelly, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2023 The campaign reflects and ruminates on female empowerment. —

Essence, 22 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruminate.' 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 ruminatus, past participle of ruminari to chew the cud, muse upon, from rumin-, rumen rumen; perhaps akin to Sanskrit romantha act of chewing the cud

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of ruminate was in 1533

See more words from the same year