as in pondering
to give serious and careful thought to
the minister hoped that the congregation would spend the remainder of the week ruminating the message of his sermon
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Recent Examples of ruminating
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, 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
But Gernsback's innovation of collecting previously-diffuse bits of literature ruminating on scientific discovery or technological advancement in one place proved to be an idea with staying power.
—Chris Klimek, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
Boston, who serves as showrunner, creator, writer, and executive producer of the series has been ruminating on its terrors and delights for awhile now.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
The musical reimagines the Greek myths while ruminating on greed, labor and love.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
The shooter appears to have been ruminating on the event since at least 2016, according to prosecutors at the time.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
If your friend or family member is struggling to keep up with daily responsibilities, constantly ruminating about relationship issues, or expressing a sense of hopelessness, consider bringing it up, says Francesca Emma, a therapist in New York.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Instead of ruminating in your head, Burns suggests writing things down so your mind can unwind.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
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
But Gernsback's innovation of collecting previously-diffuse bits of literature ruminating on scientific discovery or technological advancement in one place proved to be an idea with staying power.
—Chris Klimek, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
Boston, who serves as showrunner, creator, writer, and executive producer of the series has been ruminating on its terrors and delights for awhile now.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
The musical reimagines the Greek myths while ruminating on greed, labor and love.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 25 Mar. 2026
The shooter appears to have been ruminating on the event since at least 2016, according to prosecutors at the time.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026
If your friend or family member is struggling to keep up with daily responsibilities, constantly ruminating about relationship issues, or expressing a sense of hopelessness, consider bringing it up, says Francesca Emma, a therapist in New York.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
Instead of ruminating in your head, Burns suggests writing things down so your mind can unwind.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminating
Verb
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The sequence left us pondering our pet cats and, for good measure, our worst selves.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
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As Jeff Sanders wrote (here) on Thursday, the Padres are pondering a lot of different ways to deal with their starting pitching situation in the coming weeks.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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But even among the anchors that aren’t contemplating leaving TV for YouTube, the attraction of digital media is too irresistible to ignore.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
-
Or, put another way, savers contemplating a $15,000 deposit into this account now can expect to earn a little more than $1 per week on their funds over the next year.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The exchanges grew increasingly heated as Pratt repeatedly attacked Raman’s homelessness proposals, prompting Raman to accuse Pratt and Bass of focusing more on attacking her than debating one another.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
The trial over Pitt's allegations of Jolie's breach of contract is scheduled to begin sometime in 2027, with Pitt and Jolie still debating on an exact start date.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The court is considering an appeal of a lower-court judge’s ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated procedural requirements.—
Eric Tucker,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
California lawmakers are considering a bill that would ensure insurance companies cover the cost of scalp cooling technology for cancer patients.—
Sooji Nam,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Then again, the protagonist might be Hannes (Enzo Brumm), a former farm boy studying at the same school in 1972.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Thorsen helped lead research for the CDC studying infant disabilities, according to prosecutors.—
Sasha Pezenik,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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For entertaining larger groups, pick up this six-person set that comes with a sofa, loveseat, and club chair, all complete with comfy cushions.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, some lawmakers are entertaining ridiculous tax incentives for companies.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The aggressive political gains DeSantis and Republicans seek also have some in the party questioning whether the new map would put GOP incumbents at risk of losing future elections.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
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Despite the apology, Camp Mystic’s plans to reopen in late May with nearly 900 girls have angered victims’ families, and state officials are questioning whether the license should be renewed.—
Jim Vertuno,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sam Houston, weighing 285 pounds and standing 3 feet tall, is the seventh calf born at the zoo, staff said in a news release Wednesday.—
Harriet Ramos
May 7,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
-
Sulfate-free formulas and ingredients like aloe vera, hydrolyzed proteins, shea butter, and lightweight oils boost moisture without weighing strands down.—
Aimee Simeon,
Glamour,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminating. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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