muse 1 of 2

noun

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

as in to ruminate

Related Words

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
Rusty Chocolate Ella Bright has cemented her status as an eternal fall muse, thanks in no small part to her Off Campus success. — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026 Auf der Maur had thought a lot about the relationship between artists and muses. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
In the case of this post from Thursday, one user invoked Greek philosopher Heraclitus and a 12th-century Arab poet to muse on the nature of existence. — Jared Perlo, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026 Dale gets a moment near the end of the episode to muse darkly about the dangers of this line of work, but the most impactful reaction comes from Boss during the drive to the hospital. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 30 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for muse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muse
  1. poet
  2. ruminate
  3. minstrel
  4. ponder
  5. meditate
  6. contemplate
  7. reflect
  8. project
Noun
  • Palestinian, Kashmiri and Indian poets are interwoven throughout, framing the film as a meditation on remembering what has been erased from home and pushing back once staying quiet stops being an option.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Robin Morgan, a wholesome child star of the 1940s and ‘50s who grew up to become an all-American radical as a poet, essayist, editor and second-wave feminist, has died.
    — Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of poet
Verb
  • The most tonally bizarre Apes movie ruminates on that question with a mixture of money-saving light comedy and mic-drop grimness.
    — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This has led to fans of the show to ruminate on how the team will set up another elaborate prank.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruminate
Noun
  • Target recently received backlash for 'offensive' Halloween costume This comes on the heels of Target apologizing in late August for a Halloween circus clown costume that critics said appeared to conjure Blackface and 19th-century minstrel shows.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Davis shared her thoughts alongside a side-by-side comparison of the costume with 19th-century minstrel imagery, which perpetuated racist stereotypes about Black Americans and involved the use of blackface.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of minstrel
Verb
  • Kronengold and Shaw are still pondering what will come of that if Adults gets to be renewed.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Sierra College has three quarterbacks to ponder, and all will play early, Noonan said.
    — JOE DAVIDSON, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ponder
Verb
  • Their teachers would suggest that all negative experiences are inherently growth opportunities, or that perhaps the person was meditating incorrectly.
    — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Athletes can receive massages in private rooms or meditate in the open area.
    — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of meditate
Verb
  • Pegula advanced to face Sorana Cirstea, the 36-year-old from Romania who is contemplating retirement after this season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Moreno, who in 2003 became baseball’s first Latino owner, was still contemplating a potential exit strategy, according to new club president Molly Jolly.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of contemplate
Verb
  • The six-machine launch reflects the company’s wider attempt to develop into a more comprehensive supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment rather than remaining focused on a single part of the fabrication process.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Titanium dioxide and iron oxides supply the pigment—though the former doesn’t make this a substitute for sunscreen—and light-reflecting mica keeps the finish from looking flat.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of reflect
Verb
  • While the weather forecast does not project any kind of heat wave this week, temperatures on the surface of the Open’s acrylic-on-asphalt hard courts can approach 120 degrees after hours of direct sunlight.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the interview, Wirth projected that Chevron's all-in production costs for its projects in Venezuela can be kept under $20 per barrel.
    — , CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of project

Browse Nearby Words

muscularly
muse
mused
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on muse

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about muse

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