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
After the closure was announced, every single late-night-show host paid their respects to an accidental muse of Americana. Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 9 May 2026 The city as a muse Even comics created by artists outside New York City – like Ohio natives and Superman co-creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster – are, by virtue of their content, still in many ways New York comics. Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
Verb
When EviDenS de Beauté launched 20 years ago, founder Charles-Edouard Barthes started the brand as a love letter to his wife and muse Eriko Nakamura. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 13 Nov. 2025 Taken one at a time, the deployments can seem random or fickle — Trump will often muse about sending troops into a city, only to back track his comments and focus on a different city days later. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for muse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muse
Noun
  • The neighborhood, called Jabal al-Joufeh, was historically home to merchants, politicians, and poets.
    Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • Focusing on Vahdat’s repertoire of classical settings for verse by great Persian poets both ancient (Hafez, Rumi) and contemporary (Forough Farrokhzad), as well as songs she’s gathered from Iran’s various ethnic groups, the project includes percussionist Nariman Assadi on tombak and daf.
    Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Marin directed some of his ire at Esalen, the epicenter of the Human Potential Movement and the playground, its critics scoffed, of those privileged enough to spend their days ruminating over the self.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Ricky Gervais will be in attendance to give a masterclass as creator and director of Netflix’s Alley Cats, the adult animation following a group of feral cats who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life, accompanied by a sneak peek of the first two episodes.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Blues developed after the Civil War (1861–65) and was influenced by 19th-century work songs and field hollers, minstrel show music, ragtime, and church music such as spirituals and hymns, as well as the folk and popular music of white Southerners.
    René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
  • Gangsta rap’s effectiveness as a prosecutorial tool, like the minstrel shows before it, depends on audiences mistaking caricature for authenticity, and hinges on hearing artistic expression as documentary evidence of criminal actions.
    A.D. Carson, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Instead, Sydney Lohmann opted to go for goal instead of laying it off, reducing Shaw to toeing the blades of grass beneath her and pondering what might have been.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Ikumelo pondered for a moment and went for Keke Palmer, star of Hustlers and Pimp.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Whitney Barlow Robles meditates on life, coral, and extinction.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
  • Many had argued that the banner, which largely meditates on the violence of the Suharto dictatorship in Indonesia, contained antisemitic caricatures.
    Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • The ballot measure may prove to be a referendum of how much the council is in step with Lee at a time when Oakland’s leaders are contemplating how the city’s divisions of power could be reshaped.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
  • Coleman made just three appearances for Everton this term and will take a break this summer before contemplating his next move.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Gambling’s prevalence during sports broadcasts reflects its status as an enormous and growing business in America.
    Luke Connors, Washington Post, 19 May 2026
  • But because film is visual, characters cannot merely feel, react, or reflect on the page.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Black consumers are projected to control close to $2 trillion in buying power.
    Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • And from 2024 to 2034, BLS projects the sector will add more than 553,000 jobs.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 16 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Muse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muse. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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