musing 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of musingnext
as in melancholy
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking he was clearly in a musing mood, and did not feel like talking just then

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

musing

2 of 3

noun

as in meditation

Related Words

musing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of muse
as in pondering

Related Words

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 musing
Noun
In a former life, this appliance may have doubled as tools used in his prior trade; however, the rapper—whose reputation for serving up hearty helpings of clever musings on the drug trade precedes him—remains intent on feeding the streets. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 17 June 2026 Warsh’s musings on international finance so far would likely do little to inspire confidence among purists. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 16 June 2026 Some of the dialogue feels like Harrison’s own metaphysical musings rather than characters’ speech. — Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 The planetary dance and life on Earth These celestial musings are a symptom of a solar system that supports life on Earth. — Doris Elin Urrutia, Space.com, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for musing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musing
  1. melancholy
  2. meditation
  3. pondering
  4. thoughtful
  5. contemplation
  6. ruminating
  7. reflective
  8. reverie
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
Noun
  • And finally, there’s poor Leighton Vance — or at least a version of Leighton Vance who’s not the CEO of Velocity Tech but the leader of a small meditation group.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At the Miraval Slumber Party, guests explore their sleep patterns and dreams, then are guided through acupressure exercises, stretching, and meditations with singing bowls.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of meditation
Verb
  • Instead, the fast-casual restaurant chain's CEO and co-founder woke up pondering the country's ongoing cyclospora outbreak.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One lucky Maryland resident might be pondering that after becoming the state's third $1 million winner in the past two weeks.
    — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of pondering
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
Noun
  • Sister Mary Grace, 76, loves the opportunity for contemplation and the chance to express it artistically.
    — Kelly Wilkinson, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Indeed, Serrano’s image is, to me, comparable to an icon, worthy of sincere contemplation.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of contemplation
Verb
  • Carmy is still figuring out his next move, interviewing for an internship at an architecture firm while ruminating on his experience at the Bear.
    — Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • The adult animation follows the trials and tribulations of a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life.
    — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of ruminating
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
Noun
  • Despite more immigrants being arrested in July than any other month in Homeland Security’s history, good Americans refuse to submit to Trump’s roundup reverie.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Her adultery story initially evokes the imprisoned girl’s compensatory reveries, but over time its focus shifts.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of reverie

Browse Nearby Words

musicians
musing
musing (over)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Musing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All