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
The track is focused but ruminative, mirroring the circular way thoughts orbit an obsession.
—
Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
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
Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 17 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminative
Adjective
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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
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Arima Ederra made melancholy feel sunny on her debut, An Orange Colored Day.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Morning conversations favor clear requests and thoughtful answers.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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During a recent trip to Tokyo, my husband and I—both new to the city—checked into a room with a comfortable wall-to-wall couch, a king-size bed with city views, and thoughtful details like a lovely tea set and a deep soaking tub.—
Lois Alter Mark,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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At roughly nine thousand three hundred feet above sea level, the thin subzero air assaulted my lungs immediately, and the reflective background and uninterrupted nothingness attracted my focus to hints of pastel colors.—
Cree LeFavour,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
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The morning may feel more somber and reflective, yet by midday, the vibe smooths into something more cooperative and actionable.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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With not a lot of airtime to transition her protagonist from reasonable to out of touch with reality, Jonas relegated much of her character’s contemplative qualities to the asides and exaggerated her more base characteristics by adding in some reckless behavior.—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Closure finally feels possible as Luna in your pensive 12th house cooperates with tender Chiron in your 8th House of Delicate Topics.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Mar. 2026
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The pensive sophistication and opalescent style with which the film unparcels its ideas might not please arthouse crowds wanting broader emotional gestures, but Dulude-De Celles may be a festival-circuit major in the making.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The room fills with the sound of meditative thuds against caribou skin drums and the haunting, throaty vocals of several Tasiilaq men and women.—
Megan Spurrell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
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Parents can model slow, even, meditative breathing for times of intense emotion.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminative. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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