as in thoughtful
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
a contemplative person who likes to go on solitary walks the contemplative life of the monks at the abbey
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Recent Examples of contemplative
Along much of the coastline, the water is shallow, the waves are strong, and the water is on the colder side (even in August), making its beaches better for surfing (or contemplative gazing) than swimming.
—
Austin Bush, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Naples inspires poetic reflection, and Rosi’s contemplative style inspires us to think beyond the frame and the immediate subject matter.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
With not a lot of airtime to transition her protagonist from reasonable to out of touch with reality, Jonas relegated much of her character’s contemplative qualities to the asides and exaggerated her more base characteristics by adding in some reckless behavior.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2026
The studio, the homeowners say, is deliberately solitary—a contemplative space designed to foster creative work.
—Kerry Pieri, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contemplative
Austin Bush, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Naples inspires poetic reflection, and Rosi’s contemplative style inspires us to think beyond the frame and the immediate subject matter.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
With not a lot of airtime to transition her protagonist from reasonable to out of touch with reality, Jonas relegated much of her character’s contemplative qualities to the asides and exaggerated her more base characteristics by adding in some reckless behavior.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2026
The studio, the homeowners say, is deliberately solitary—a contemplative space designed to foster creative work.
—Kerry Pieri, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contemplative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplative
Adjective
-
October 23 – November 21 This morning favors calm, thoughtful exchanges.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
-
As with the others, Bjorn and wife and creative director Julija’s thoughtful touches are everywhere, from the singular pieces of vintage decor that fill the rooms to the economical (and ecological) construction of the cabins.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But for Bo Chen, senior research fellow from the National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute, this sense of melancholy forms only part of the story.—
Matthew Chin,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2026
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Also emotional, sometimes spirited, and other times melancholy are the songs, which Cotillard lip-synced.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Aries season is in full swing through the 19th, bringing a surge of forward momentum, physical energy, and the desire to begin again after March's more reflective tone.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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Other tips include riding defensively around cars, using front and rear lights, wearing reflective vests in the dark, and avoiding biking under the influence of drugs or alcohol.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When the weather is warm, the best tables are those in the meditative interior courtyard open to blue sky, drifting clouds and the breeze ruffling sudare screens.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
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Also titled ‘Bounty’, the book will feature all 47 images from the exhibition, which was based around meditative photos McQueen took of the beautiful flora native to the Caribbean island of Grenada, where the artist-filmmaker has ancestry.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As the pensive Moon wanders into your vocal 3rd house, your mind buzzes with activity.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
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Gonzalez describes him as serious, pensive, charming and easy to like.—
Vanessa Murdock,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Mar. 2026
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And the disputes about these nitty-gritty details are philosophical as much as pragmatic.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contemplative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemplative. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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