CONTEMPLATIVE Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

contemplative

adjective

kən-ˈtem-plə-tiv

Definition of contemplative

as in thoughtful

given to or marked by long, quiet thinking a contemplative person who likes to go on solitary walks the contemplative life of the monks at the abbey

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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 contemplative The sound design — marked by silences, ambient natural sounds such as snowfall and birdsong, the unhurried rhythm of speech, and an original score built on tranquil orchestral elements — amplifies the film’s contemplative tone. — Vanessa Rampton, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026 The animation perfectly complements its contemplative pace, drawing us deeper into its haunting world. — William Earl, Variety, 25 July 2026 In a statement, LACMA director and CEO Michael Govan connected Celmins’s blend of realism and imagination with Villeneuve’s contemplative and cerebral films. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 15 July 2026 Because the number of trekkers permitted each day is capped, the trail retains a quieter, more contemplative feel than many marquee routes. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for contemplative

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemplative

Adjective

The angular build brings in thoughtful symmetry and lots of tabletop space to curate a varied display of coffee table books and knickknacks.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
Ranjit Bawa, chief technology and ventures officer at Deloitte, also recommends giving employees autonomy to make thoughtful decisions around when to use AI.

— Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of thoughtful

Adjective

On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
There’s a gravity, even a melancholy to her Mary Stone, which drew on Fabares’ ability to project a genuine inner life into the least promising scenarios.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of melancholy

Adjective

Tycho Crater is visible in the lower region of the lunar disk close to the shadow, while bright ejecta rays of reflective material brighten the darker lunar seas, where lava solidified to form basaltic plains billions of years ago.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Exhilarating, sublime, and unsettling, these installations—which often incorporate polka-dot balloons, pumpkins, LED lights, and soundtracks—immerse the viewer in infinite reflective surfaces, exploding even small spaces into an endless expanse.

— Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of reflective

Adjective

The now-familiar blend of folk, soul, and psychedelia dominates the album aesthetically, though James took spiritual cues from recordings of meditative organ performances by Alice Coltrane.

— Ryan Leas, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2026
Hosted earlier this month, the sound bath was the first of two events in the museum’s new Mindfulness Mornings at the Museum series, where guests can experience a meditative practice in the iconic gallery before opening hours.

— Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of meditative

Adjective

He is best known for introducing the idea of dynamical similarity to cosmological systems — a mathematical realization of philosophical principles in physics.

— Big Think, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2026
Shankara advises that worshipping gods with names and stories through devotional rituals and sacred images (murtis) is an acceptable step for some people on the path toward a more philosophical understanding of an all-pervasive ultimate reality.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026