Synonyms

ruminate

American

[roo-muh-neyt] / ˈru məˌneɪt /

verb (used without object)

to meditate or muse; ponder.

Synonyms:

reflect, think
Psychology. to obsessively revisit the same thought or theme over and over again.
to chew the cud, as a ruminant.

verb (used with object)

to chew again or over and over.
to meditate on; ponder.

ruminate British

/ ˈruːmɪˌneɪt /

verb

(of ruminants) to chew (the cud)
to meditate or ponder (upon)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does ruminate mean? To ruminate is to carefully think something over, ponder it, or meditate on it. It can also mean to chew over and over again, as is done by ruminant animals, like cows. In psychology, the term means to obsessively repeat thoughts or excessively think about problems. In all cases, the process of ruminating is called rumination. Example: After ruminating about it for months, I have decided to pursue a new career.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of ruminate

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin rūminātus (past participle of rūminārī, rūmināre “to ruminate”), equivalent to rūmin- (stem of rūmen “throat, gullet”; see rumen) + -ātus past participle suffix ( see -ate ¹)

Explanation

When you ruminate, it means you are thinking very deeply about something. You're likely to be so lost in thought that you stare off into space and don't hear people when they call your name. Another meaning of ruminate is to "chew the cud," which can mean "to turn it over and over in your mind." Or, if you're a cow, to turn food over and over in your stomachs in order to digest it. Whether you're a human or a cow, if you ruminate, it will take a LONG time.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It's the gift we give to an audience, it's just to ruminate on that very serious subject, antisemitism, cruelty of all kinds, hatred of the other," Lithgow said.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Yet Keaton’s off-kilter taste—reflected elsewhere in her rambling dialogue delivery and outré fashion sense—is in evidence in her attraction to the strange personalities asked to ruminate on the hereafter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

Jordan had left her relationship and begun to see a therapist, who had caused her to ruminate over her estrangement from her mum.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

Now that it looks like all their sweat and stress could amount to nothing, Carmy and Syd separately ruminate on the meaning of all those months of devotion and anxiety.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2025

I was afraid I’d deliberate, ruminate, agonize, rationalize, and talk myself into not going.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023