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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminating
  1. pondering
  2. contemplating
  3. debating
  4. considering
  5. studying
  6. entertaining
  7. questioning
  8. weighing
Verb
  • Newsom, who is pondering a 2028 presidential campaign, and the two men vying to replace him — Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton — oppose it.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In the stands, fans murmured beneath their breath, wondering what new math the Kiffin’s successor could be pondering.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of pondering
Verb
  • For eight days in April, along the rocky coastline in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the new president of Georgetown University spent time at a Jesuit retreat center, quietly contemplating the task before him.
    — Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The offer came at a time when Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and many other public school districts in Florida, have closed or consolidated schools and are contemplating even more closures.
    — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of contemplating
Verb
  • The question the hosts were debating, by pointing to a specific subset of one immigrant group, was precisely how incompatible Indian Americans were with American culture, and by what degree Indian immigration should be discouraged.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Innovation requires creative friction—people disagreeing, debating, and pushing boundaries.
    — Stephanie Kramer, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of debating
Verb
  • However, experts cautioned against considering ammonia a globally sustainable maritime fuel because its global fuel network is not yet fully developed.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Patients considering care abroad should also research the clinic, the practitioner's training and experience, the products being used, emergency procedures and what follow-up care would be available if complications develop after returning home.
    — Kristine Lazar, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of considering
Verb
  • After seeing information about the National Day of Action online, Isabel Montano, a junior studying philosophy and economics, decided to take action at SIUE.
    — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Together, these practices have established a model for studying sensitive online discourse at scale.
    — Justin Chen, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of studying
Verb
  • The layout is geared toward indoor-outdoor living, with ample space for relaxing and entertaining across four decks.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The phone encounters were conceived before the pandemic, but once quarantine began, the idea of entertaining people through interactive phone plays really began to pick up steam.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of entertaining
Verb
  • The home’s dissolving interior boundary suits an artist who has spent her career questioning where humans fit within the vastness of space and time.
    — Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The hiding place was disclosed by a third suspect during questioning.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of questioning
Verb
  • Emergency physicians are constantly weighing probability, risk, and the consequences of waiting.
    — Dara Kass, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Gill was described as 5-foot-3, weighing 137 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of weighing

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Cite this Entry

“Ruminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminating. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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