as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking
a ruminative man, who contributed to discussions only after he had completely thought things through
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Recent Examples of ruminative
Documentarians Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, who also gave us the ruminative Nick Cave portrait 20,000 Days on Earth (2014), use this as an elaborate framing device, the sort of oddball choice that doesn’t feel necessary yet also doesn’t detract from the goal at hand.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
Contemplating passing seasons and dead flowers, Weir’s deep, lava lamp-like flow of a vocal is as sadly ruminative as Barlow’s lyrics.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
Set in Los Angeles, this ruminative novel alternates in perspective between a blockbuster actor, his best friend and sometime lover, and an aspiring screenwriter.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Scarlet feels like his biggest movie yet, a ruminative war picture that stages medieval battles and pitches its characters through the mortal coil and back.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
Contemplating passing seasons and dead flowers, Weir’s deep, lava lamp-like flow of a vocal is as sadly ruminative as Barlow’s lyrics.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
Set in Los Angeles, this ruminative novel alternates in perspective between a blockbuster actor, his best friend and sometime lover, and an aspiring screenwriter.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Scarlet feels like his biggest movie yet, a ruminative war picture that stages medieval battles and pitches its characters through the mortal coil and back.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminative
Adjective
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But Fennell is too fixated on the surface dazzle to undercut the mood with deeper melancholy or conflicted sexuality.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
19 Feb. 2026
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Turner plays the middle brother with intriguing melancholy and an almost alien detachment, which works within the world this film creates, but not necessarily for a main character.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The trend toward a more sustainable Mardi Gras has been growing for years and includes a small but growing variety of more thoughtful throws like food, soaps and sunglasses.—
TRAVIS LOLLER,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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This essay came with critical comments, too, and most of those ignored the fact that Charli has been trying to have more thoughtful conversations about pop music, consumption, and celebrity for years online.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Other technologies that could be phased out include waste heat recovery systems that pull heat from the car’s engine to the interior, solar reflective surface coating and high efficacy exterior lights.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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The pair will also include a glow-in-the-dark green rubber outsole and a reflective silver finish on the heel logo.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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With intentionality, planning, and creativity, there are possibilities for soft, joyful, and contemplative moments that also allow for learning.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
20 Feb. 2026
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Less inviting and contemplative than aggressive and giddy, its priority isn’t to ask the audience to step outside their own perspective and examine how their behavior may contribute to similar hostilities.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Dreher fell into a pensive mood.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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Social butterfly Venus and pensive Chiron are waltzing through your learning zone and your social sector, showing off just how much your friends can teach you — purposefully or not.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Monochrome dominated the runway, creating a cohesive, almost meditative visual language.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Though instead of relying on the scandalous machinations of satire, as the Sundance titles did, this one pivots to and later works in service of the meditative allure of grief and memory drama.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminative. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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