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
  • Do the Emmys feel melancholy at all because your whole company could look different very soon?
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • For Brown, the evening, though tinged with melancholy, amounted to a small triumph of transmission.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • The resurgence of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s long-running shock comedy and cultural satire is, at the very least, reflective of the actual show’s cultural footprint in the past year.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
  • These drops nourish skin with a combination of tsubaki oil, avocado seed oil, and squalane, while reflective mica delivers a subtle glow.
    — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 10 July 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • February 19 – March 20 A thoughtful agreement could make a connection feel sweeter and easier to trust.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
  • Henrietta was a thoughtful, interesting person, and contributor to some of the most important early works of evolutionary science.
    — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • How do the questions AI raises invoke much older philosophical and theological problems that have haunted intellectual history?
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026
  • Expect plenty of action, interpersonal tensions and philosophical dilemmas around destiny and morality.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of philosophical
Adjective
  • At the Signers’ Hall exhibit in Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center, the Dickinson statue is placed apart in a corner, sculpted in a contemplative pose.
    — Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • At the Signers' Hall exhibit in Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, the Dickinson statue is placed apart in a corner, sculpted in a contemplative pose.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 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 12 Jul. 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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