as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
a ruminative man, who contributed to discussions only after he had completely thought things through
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminative
Adjective
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Yeva’s story gives the novel a melancholy moral center.—
Carole V. Bell,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025 -
Feisty, single, and prone to melancholy, Agathe works in Paris’ legendary Shakespeare and Company bookstore.—
Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Beneath the surface of its superlatives lies depth — thoughtful nods to heritage, reinterpretations of tradition and layers of cultural meaning embedded in contemporary forms.—
Natasha Amar,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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His career consists of multitudes: the comedic if not brash hip-hop radio host forged by the shock-jock era, and the thoughtful political commentator, able to articulate what even his critics would describe as a pretty nuanced perspective on the world.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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This kind of behavior isn’t reflective of Sox fans or the city.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Xi was tougher than most, but his behavior was still reflective of the context of the times.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Yet Gomez has largely urged his flock to lead contemplative lives in the name of Jesus, Mary and the Saints, which pales to the witness practiced not just by Francis but by many in the L.A. Archdiocese itself.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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His contemplative, emotionally nuanced storytelling has established him as a significant voice in contemporary Japanese cinema.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Scenes of long discussions seem brisk, even at pensive tempi, because of the way that the lines uttered strike off one another—and because of the energetically thoughtful performances that bring the characters to life.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
20 June 2025
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In such an intimate, pensive atmosphere, characters emerge gradually out of the rugged landscape like windswept trees or weathered stones.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Even fewer blend political thrills with meditative visual poetry, but Austrian director Richard Ladkani strikes this balance with an even hand in his intimate chronicle of Juma Xiapaia, a brave Indigenous activist in Brazil and the first woman elected chief in the Amazon’s Middle Xingu region.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 June 2025
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By the age of thirty in 326 BC, Alexander used this meditative murderousness to amass his empire, which included much of Africa and India.—
Matthew Gavin Frank
June 12,
Literary Hub,
12 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ruminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminative. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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