ruminate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to chew again or over and over.
-
to meditate on; ponder.
verb
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(of ruminants) to chew (the cud)
-
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
- nonruminating adjective
- nonruminatingly adverb
- nonruminative adjective
- ruminatingly adverb
- rumination noun
- ruminative adjective
- ruminatively adverb
- ruminator noun
- unruminated adjective
- unruminating adjective
- unruminatingly adverb
- unruminative adjective
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”; rumen ) + -ātus past participle suffix ( -ate 1 )
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.
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
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
But with these participants with clinical depression, we actually induced them to ruminate about negative thoughts and feelings before they went on the walk.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2025
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
He indicated the reclining ersatz animal, which continued to ruminate attentively, still watching alertly for any indication of oats.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
