ruminative

adjective

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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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 ruminative Set on the eve of the Korean war, this ruminative story follows a midwestern family that’s fractured by a mother’s sudden disappearance. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2026 But the book’s ruminative watchfulness is unsuccessfully conjugated in this overly sedate play with music, which has the feel of a song cycle, though sung by the fine cast with gorgeous, lonely sorrow. — Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 19 June 2026 Their ruminative hush sets them apart in an era of instant-gratification drops. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026 But as is fitting for a filmmaker pushing 80, awestruck innocence now co-exists with a more ruminative maturity, especially when touching on the secrecy, manipulation and deception of governmental power. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026 Lily Allen, Jack Whitehall and Timothy Spall also star in Tina Gharavi's SXSW London opener, which refashions Woolf's diffuse, ruminative feminist novel into a straightforwardly inspirational tale. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 3 June 2026 And keep in mind, Dosa’s film is a ruminative and poetic love letter to a glacier, so literally and figuratively super slow moving is the perfect rollout for a film like this. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 3 June 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruminative
  1. melancholy
  2. thoughtful
  3. reflective
  4. contemplative
  5. pensive
  6. meditative
Adjective
  • The contrasts between the two tales are never drastic; the gradations are sometimes as fine as those between warm and cool melancholy.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Mackenzie Crook’s meditative and melancholy comedy is about a man whose life has been on pause since his girlfriend’s disappearance, leading him to use alchemy to get answers.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • Combined with plush cushioning, these thoughtful details make Bombas socks stand out from the average pair.
    — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Weiss, now 69, is widely viewed as a smart and thoughtful straight shooter, skilled at solving organizational problems.
    — Hilarie M. Sheets, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • On the other hand, many of these works are reflective of the time they were written.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • While prefering Goldman over Morgan Stanley , Jim doesn't think the 3% drop in MS is reflective of its business performance.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • Hawka envisions contemplative, quiet scenes in the countryside, with natural light and a documentary-like approach, contrasted with the noise, intense colors, and chaos of the city.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Borisov’s brainy, tender, deeply contemplative performance lends an anchoring humanity to a film that might otherwise have curdled into sourness and despair — though there’s plenty of reason for that.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of contemplative
Adjective
  • Enough with the pensive mood pieces; bring back the pie f**king!
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Reddington sat pensive, drumming his fingers on the defense table.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of pensive
Adjective
  • Walk to Makaluapuna Point (also nicknamed as the Dragon’s Teeth Trail) for a casual coastal hike through dramatic lava rock formations that includes a meditative labyrinth.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Mackenzie Crook’s meditative and melancholy comedy is about a man whose life has been on pause since his girlfriend’s disappearance, leading him to use alchemy to get answers.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of meditative

Browse Nearby Words

ruminations
ruminative
rummage
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Cite this Entry

“Ruminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruminative. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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