ruminating

verb

present participle of ruminate
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ruminating Alessandro Michele had been ruminating on a concept put forth in the book Black Swan. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026 So, Otto sits at the end of the counter, ruminating on the past weeks, then downs his glass of Gordon’s. — Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026 Yet there was Devers, ruminating as if the fate of the Giants’ (57-82) season rested on this Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2026 Carmy is still figuring out his next move, interviewing for an internship at an architecture firm while ruminating on his experience at the Bear. — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026 The adult animation follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life. — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminating
  1. pondering
  2. contemplating
  3. debating
  4. considering
  5. studying
  6. entertaining
  7. questioning
  8. weighing
Verb
  • Plenty of others, namely frustrated fans, are pondering the other stuff for him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • This can be especially uncomfortable when the prevailing narrative holds its own special significance, but pondering such complexities strengthens our minds and our spirits.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of pondering
Verb
  • Now, under new ownership, organizers are contemplating future growth that could involve perhaps 20,000 participants, more visitors from outside North Carolina and a place among the country’s premier destination races.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The novel begins with Percheron contemplating news of Field’s death, and proceeds to trace their youths, including their meeting, in 1807, when Field is humbled by Percheron’s virtuosity on the piano.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of contemplating
Verb
  • The vaccine may also usher in a new wave of treatments for other types of cancer, though experts are debating how broadly applicable the technology could be.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In the early 1980s, Resnicoff says that Congress was debating the Religious Apparel Amendment, which would have allowed Jews serving in the military to cover their heads.
    — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of debating
Verb
  • There are also two off-site restaurants worth considering, both reachable on foot or via the hotel’s tuk-tuk.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • But according to multiple reports, including the Associated Press, Blackburn is not considering tapping Hegseth.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of considering
Verb
  • Before working with Pancho, Chang and his colleagues spent over a decade studying the basic neurobiology of speech in the human brain using similar recordings from non-paralyzed subjects.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Despite the controversy, some researchers are studying DNA editing of embryos.
    — Gerry Smith, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of studying
Verb
  • The Blackburn team is focused on the transition, not entertaining baseless speculation.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Festive Diwali decorations filled Rancho Cordova’s Stone Creek Park for the city’s fourth annual Diwali celebration, with traditional Indian dancers and children’s activities entertaining a crowd of more than 2,500 attendees, according to Vempati.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of entertaining
Verb
  • But the New Mexico secretary of state's office received reports of DOJ monitors asking unusual questions and questioning voters in Bernalillo County, which is home to Albuquerque.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Miller, who prosecuted the case back in 2004 and 2005, sent Fernandez Rundle texts questioning her office’s handling of the case and denigrating the judge presiding over Smith’s resentencing.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of questioning
Verb
  • Nvidia's flagship Vera Rubin product is a seven-foot rack containing 72 GPUs and weighing as much as a pickup truck.
    — Kif Leswing,Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The salty bacon and fluffy eggs formed that classic breakfast flavor, while the potatoes added a satisfying heartiness without weighing the taco down.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of weighing

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ruminating
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Cite this Entry

“Ruminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminating. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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