ruminant

adjective

Definition of ruminantnext
as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking I wandered around campus all day in a ruminant mood

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminant
  1. melancholy
  2. reflective
  3. thoughtful
  4. philosophical
  5. contemplative
Adjective
  • What reads at a casual distance as serene maternal tenderness shifts, on closer inspection, into something more ambivalent—a shade of melancholy that surfaces only when the eye lingers on Mary’s face.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Midland put their stamp on the idea by maintaining those mixed emotions of melancholy and excitement; the romance but also the rootlessness of a life spent on the road.
    — Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • According to the announcement, the semi-acoustic record draws inspiration from reflective touchstones in Young’s catalog such as Comes a Time and Prairie Wind, with lyrics that grapple with memory, mortality and renewal.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Caltrans has been slowly removing those 1960s-era signs with the letter studded with reflective dots and replacing them with newer ones.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • The shoulder pads are removable, a thoughtful detail that allows the top to be worn as a statement or in a more relaxed fashion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The pair tapped Van Eyssen, an alum of famed Asian hospitality brand Aman, to curate the spa’s program, which reflected her thoughtful and holistic approach to wellness.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • But in this blue collar, factory-like environment, there was no blurred line, no grey area, no philosophical question to fret over.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • That’s an ambitious philosophical proposition in an era increasingly dominated by information, algorithms and artificial intelligence.
    — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of philosophical
Adjective
  • The Final Painting fittingly has a contemplative tone, with slow, spellbound songs that seem both off-the-cuff and profoundly lived in.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 31 July 2026
  • The animation perfectly complements its contemplative pace, drawing us deeper into its haunting world.
    — William Earl, Variety, 25 July 2026
Definition of contemplative
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.

Browse Nearby Words

rumbustiousness
ruminant
ruminate
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Cite this Entry

“Ruminant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminant. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ruminant

Nglish: Translation of ruminant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ruminant

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