meditation
Americannoun
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the act of meditating.
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continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.
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devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection.
noun
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the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection
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contemplation of spiritual matters, esp as a religious practice
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of meditation
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Latin meditātiōn-, stem of meditātiō “contemplation, planning”; equivalent to meditate + -ion
Explanation
A meditation is an extended period of thought or concentration. If you practice yoga and you often meditate, you know what meditation is. But any time you focus on one thing for a long time, it's an act of meditation. After you've thought about something for a while, you can write about it, and that writing could be called a meditation, too. Beethoven's Ode to Joy is a meditation on joy. If you're easily upset by things, consider meditation. Slowing down your thought process and concentrating on it for a while can make you feel better. Samurai were known for meditating before going into battle. Meditation gave them focus, and focus gave them power.
Vocabulary lists containing meditation
World Religions
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South Asia - Introductory
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South Asia - Middle School and High School
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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:
I went into a meditation and came out thinking: “I used to make spells. Now I make offerings.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
When the property was listed, images revealed an incredible glimpse inside the dwelling, which features a meditation room inside the primary suite, a climate-controlled wig room, a private gym, and a movie theater.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The movie has a pastoral coziness and lots of silly humor, but it’s also a moving meditation on death that has adults sobbing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Its key highlights were a meditation sanctuary, vegetarian restaurant and "psychic" readings, organised by the British Astrological Society and Psychic Society.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
These were the hours for rest and meditation.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
There are cameos from the economist Ben Bernanke, Elon Musk and the PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, plus meditations on business, the environment and technology, and episodes that cover a range of 21st-century upheavals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Fantasy” resulted from his meditations within the pyramids of Giza and his claimed communications with aliens.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
Fragrance communities can be a surprisingly grounding place to explore these existential meditations.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026
Increasingly, Galsworthy turns to meditations, as in this passage from “Indian Summer of a Forsyte” as the elderly Jolyon looks back:
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
The half-pleasant quality went out of his meditations.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
