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
But nearly ten years on, as the world order unravels, the exhibition’s ruminative posture comes across as toothless and unfinished.
—
Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
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
Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminative
Adjective
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These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
-
The specific kind of melancholy that only exists between Halloween and the first real snow.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Pisces Moon supports thoughtful expression and easier communication.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2026
-
Izaiah is sweet, funny, and incredibly thoughtful, often bringing a positive and lighthearted energy to the people around him.—
MARE Staff,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Designed by Scott Wilson Architecture with interiors by Cherie Grisham, the residence opens with a dramatic double-height foyer capped by a 20-foot reflective ceiling and anchored by a sweeping helical staircase.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
It is described as having a purplish-red hue with yellowish undertones, a high-quality color grade, moderate transparency and a highly reflective surface.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the book, Caputo’s initial pride and arrogance soon give way to a more contemplative spirit, followed by degeneration.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
The setting leans quiet and contemplative rather than circuit-driven.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Bookie & The Bruiser is set in 1959 New York City and features a pensive Jewish fellow named Rivner (James) and an oversized Italian-American tough named Boscolo (Vaughn).—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
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His 2025 tape, WOMB, embodied this through his pensive grumbles over wispy vocal chops; each bar that cut through the fog was steeped in sober gravitas.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi’s meditative drama, three people in three different eras explore the sentience of flora, each timeline connecting to the others through a gingko tree that’s been growing since 1832 in the botanical gardens adjacent to Marburg University in Germany.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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Through meditative, cinematic landscapes, THE SANDBOX explores global borders where surveillance and AI shape who lives and who dies.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminative. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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