as in to relax
to spend time doing things that do not require much thought or effort; to be very lazy or inactive
I just spent the weekend vegetating at home. I'm worried that after I retire I'll just sit at home, watch TV, and vegetate.
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Recent Examples of vegetate
The program has documented more than 900 springs with flowing or standing water within Arizona’s Sky Islands region, 75 of them with moist ground only, 55 that are dry but still vegetated, and 272 that have dried completely.
—
Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
About 30 minutes later, rescuers made voice contact with Blessing but were unable to reach him until about midnight, due to the steep and thickly vegetated terrain, Fish and Game said.
—Nick Stoico, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
All the turtles bought on impulse, vegetating in plastic lagoons.
—Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Feb. 2023
Why not vegetate?
—Jon Michail, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for vegetate
Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
About 30 minutes later, rescuers made voice contact with Blessing but were unable to reach him until about midnight, due to the steep and thickly vegetated terrain, Fish and Game said.
—Nick Stoico, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
All the turtles bought on impulse, vegetating in plastic lagoons.
—Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Feb. 2023
Why not vegetate?
—Jon Michail, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for vegetate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vegetate
Verb
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Long-haul travelers can opt for a head and shoulder reliever or a fragrant, relaxing bath infused with indigenous flowers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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Advertisement The ruling also relaxes limits on a number of other pollutants released by burning coal, such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The nurses, teachers, soldiers and everyone else on her massage table, resting up to go at it again.—
Danielle Paquette The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
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Doctors advised Harrington to rest for four to six weeks and this is the fourth.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More than just the weather threatens to chill the consumer outlook this winter, however.—
Allie Canal,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
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Practices and games begin in January and expose players to harsh weather and unnecessary injuries while fans watch games in bone-chilling cold or do not attend at all.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vegetate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vegetate. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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