muse 1 of 2

Definition of musenext
as in poet
a person who writes poetry where is the muse who will sing of this man's great and noble deeds?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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muse

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word muse different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of muse are meditate, ponder, and ruminate. While all these words mean "to consider or examine attentively or deliberately," muse suggests a more or less focused daydreaming as in remembrance.

mused upon childhood joys

When is it sensible to use meditate instead of muse?

While in some cases nearly identical to muse, meditate implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply.

meditated on the meaning of life

When might ponder be a better fit than muse?

The meanings of ponder and muse largely overlap; however, ponder implies a careful weighing of a problem or, often, prolonged inconclusive thinking about a matter.

pondered the course of action

Where would ruminate be a reasonable alternative to muse?

While the synonyms ruminate and muse are close in meaning, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of muse
Noun
The muse now comes with fine print. Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025 The black silk gown, which features a metallic gold leaf motif that wraps delicately around the body, belonged to the designer’s model and muse Kathy Jean-Louis, who wore it on the runway. Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
At 79 years old, Trump even occasionally muses about hopes for the ultimate post-presidential achievement − that is, to get into heaven. Susan Page, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025 Trump, who has increasingly mused about his mortality, has repeatedly boasted about his health despite his age. Chad De Guzman, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for muse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muse
Noun
  • His father, an Iranian-American poet and English professor at Queens College in New York City, has not responded to requests for comment.
    Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
  • There are love letters to the dead in Lasky’s life interwoven into these essays, including to her father (a judge who died, slowly, from Alzheimer’s), her artist mother, her dog Lucy, beloved poet friends, Mayer herself.
    Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Now, in his late-middle age, a much more flexible Linklater is ruminating on other notorious artists.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
  • A lot of it is simple, disciplined, ruminating in a way that won’t surprise anyone aware of his work with The National.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Louis Weslyn and Charles Albert wrote a horrifically racist blackface minstrel song called The Witch Behind the Moon that included lyrics about a Black witch who lived behind the moon and could fly down on her broomstick to snatch up children.
    Time, Time, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Like many such venues across America, the Kempner also hosted lectures, minstrel shows, musicals, operas, plays and vaudeville acts, along with community events such as school graduations.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Take the time to ponder outdated habits or emotional scars.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Advertisement China has long pondered surgical strikes against Taiwan’s leadership, though any such move is likely to be self-defeating, given the island is a sustained democracy.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Where to Stay Staying at Mount Nelson is like going to your grandmother's house—if your grandmother was exceptionally chic, loved the color pink, and had invited John Lennon over to meditate in her garden.
    Emily Baldwin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The deadlift required me to meditate on my performance, to still my mind while lifting.
    Sara Schiff, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • People play backgammon and dance around a campfire next to a Music Trunk with a record turntable, while a couple contemplates a frozen lake.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Council members also are contemplating charging more for on-street outdoor dining.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • With about 90% of ballots counted, California voters passed Proposition 50 by a wide margin, but results from the Sacramento region reflect a community split on the measure.
    Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Tuesday's losses by the GOP could be viewed as a barometer for voter attitudes ahead of the 2026 midterms, reflecting broader dissatisfaction among core Republican constituencies and raising questions about the party's direction and messaging.
    Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Companies remain concerned about tariffs and are projecting price increases of more than 3% in 2026, according to one recent survey.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Jan. 2026
  • The United States has increasingly projected itself as a global bully, treating weaker nations as fair game for regime change by force — simply to assert power and dominance.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Muse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muse. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

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