as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
he was clearly in a musing mood, and did not feel like talking just then
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Recent Examples of musing
Beronda L. Montgomery, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Come for the stories of their first Stoppard experiences, stay for the heartwarming musing about Stoppard’s impact on their lives!
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
Reddit user u/TotalThing7 shared a nostalgic musing in the subreddit r/CasualConversation after watching a 1990s TV show.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
That’s one philosophical musing.
—Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for musing
Noun
Her musing invited me, too, to return to my original deep fascination with this ability of plants that had become routine scientific knowledge to me.
—Beronda L. Montgomery, PEOPLE, 19 Jan. 2026
Come for the stories of their first Stoppard experiences, stay for the heartwarming musing about Stoppard’s impact on their lives!
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
Reddit user u/TotalThing7 shared a nostalgic musing in the subreddit r/CasualConversation after watching a 1990s TV show.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
That’s one philosophical musing.
—Blake Toppmeyer, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for musing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musing
Adjective
-
The play can create some real melancholy.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
-
Americans are in a melancholy mood as the nation prepares to mark its 250th anniversary.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
But also very enlightening and [a] profound time of self-reflection and fear, processing and meditation.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
-
In the image, Kidman appeared to enjoy a moment of meditation while out in nature.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Any larger Hollywood studio would have likely insisted on a grander finale, but The Death of Robin Hood, produced by A24, left me pondering the foolishness of my need for such a denouement.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
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That’s in addition to problems like data drift, bias in training data, black swan events, and other things that the panelists touched on in pondering the challenges of instituting these systems in a highly regulated industry.—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Create an agenda that names who does what, and map the route so your thoughtful plan serves the group together.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 June 2026
-
Over the years, Lucas and his wife have transformed the space from a simple above-ground pool into a backyard destination complete with thoughtful upgrades and finishing touches.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
Its challenges require active engagement, not passive contemplation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
-
Sterman, after much contemplation, decided to use natives but didn’t develop a detailed plan.—
Nicole Sours Larson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Shaboozey, who cites Pink Floyd’s surreal The Wall as one of his favorite albums and movies, had been ruminating on the idea for more than a decade.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
8 June 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Despite setbacks, Trout remains a superstar, but his comments about Philly appear more reflective than predictive of a move.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
-
The officers, wearing reflective vests, were outside their patrol cars, which were set in place with flashing lights to detour motorists, police said.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Noun
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The relaxation area, lined with loungers facing the sea, is perfect for post-treatment reverie with herbal tea and a view.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Stylistically, these books are often surreal and oneiric, with the gauzy texture of childhood reverie.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Musing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musing. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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