as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
I wandered around campus all day in a ruminant mood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminant
Adjective
-
In a weirdly serendipitous bit of cinema news, Billie Eilish—queen of melancholy pop—is turning her sad eyes to Sylvia Plath.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026 -
Arima Ederra made melancholy feel sunny on her debut, An Orange Colored Day.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Beyond the visuals, Tan’s actual caption struck a reflective tone that stood out from the usual social media fare.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
-
There are plenty of star actors who would rather enter the seventh circle of hell than do what Radcliffe is doing here with boundless enthusiasm and reflective of his career-long determination to challenge himself.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jordan has always been thoughtful in his work, though, even as a youngster.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Your natural initiative helps groups move again, while a brief pause keeps choices thoughtful instead of reactive.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
This is where brand voice becomes practical, not philosophical.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Along much of the coastline, the water is shallow, the waves are strong, and the water is on the colder side (even in August), making its beaches better for surfing (or contemplative gazing) than swimming.—
Austin Bush,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Naples inspires poetic reflection, and Rosi’s contemplative style inspires us to think beyond the frame and the immediate subject matter.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Ruminant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminant. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
