ruminate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to chew again or over and over.
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to meditate on; ponder.
verb
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(of ruminants) to chew (the cud)
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to meditate or ponder (upon)
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
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ruminationnoun
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ruminatornoun
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nonruminatingadjective
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nonruminativeadjective
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ruminativeadjective
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unruminatedadjective
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unruminatingadjective
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unruminativeadjective
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nonruminatinglyadverb
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ruminatinglyadverb
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ruminativelyadverb
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unruminatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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ruminatesimple
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ruminatessimple
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have ruminatedperfect
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has ruminatedperfect
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am ruminatingprogressive
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are ruminatingprogressive
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is ruminatingprogressive
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have been ruminatingperfect progressive
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has been ruminatingperfect progressive
Past
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ruminatedsimple
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had ruminatedperfect
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was ruminatingprogressive
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were ruminatingprogressive
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had been ruminatingperfect progressive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing ruminate
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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.
See Examples For:
This leaves investors and analysts to ruminate amongst themselves.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
When your mind wanders, whether to rehearse a future argument or ruminate over what you said Friday night, you’re meant to note it, lightly and without judgment: “thinking” or “planning.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
"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
After Eva and Ryland briefly ruminate on fear and primal instinct, Ryland’s otherwise direct and unemotional government superior takes to the mic, performing a cover of Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times.”
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026
Abigail heard him out about the doomed course of the French Revolution but was somewhat more sanguine: “I ruminate upon France as I lie awake many hours before light,” she wrote.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
From this place of old age and treatable illness, Julian ruminates on the fallible nature of memory and its role in shaping our identities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
The Cruzvillegas sculpture celebrates varieties of youthful play, while the Reihana animation ruminates on dimensions of cultural collision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
Harvey still ruminates about the semifinal loss because of how well the team played.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
Haye runs through the tapestry of jazz, R&B and rap on his recently released debut album, “More Better,” which at times ruminates on the pandemic but without wallowing in despair.
From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2023
Seeder quietly ruminates about how, back in District 11, everyone assumes President Snow is all-powerful.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
In one study, people who traveled on a short weekend break ruminated less about work concerns than people who spent a similar break at home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
However, when the reindeer ruminated, this slow-wave activity was decreased during subsequent sleep, and the more they ruminated, the more the slow-wave activity decreased.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 22, 2023
When a Times man asked him in 1907 why he hadn’t named his dream city for himself, he ruminated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2023
He also ruminated openly about her political future, privately boosting McCray for a potential campaign for Brooklyn borough president.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 5, 2023
"Job ought to be easy enough," he ruminated.
From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie
Thanks to the dictionary pages she uses for wallpaper, she has a large vocabulary and is prone to ruminating about her ultimate purpose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
That picture is complex, but ruminating on your actions can quickly become torturous.
From Slate ● Mar. 16, 2026
Of course, some anger and frustration will come out during these talks, but long-term wallowing and ruminating on perceived unfairness can be more damaging than the layoff itself.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026
"There is never a moment when you aren't ruminating or reflecting or considering school-related issues," she said.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
Milo nodded with spurious vim to indicate he still understood and then sat silent, ruminating gravely with troubled misgiving.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
