musing

[ myoo-zing ]

/ ˈmyu zɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR musing ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

absorbed in thought; meditative.

noun

contemplation; reflection.

Nearby words

musicology, musicotherapy, musigny, musil, musil, robert, musing, musingly, musique concrète, musjid, musk, musk bag

Origin of musing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at muse, -ing², -ing¹

Related forms

mus·ing·ly, adverbun·mus·ing, adjective

Definition for musing (2 of 2)

muse

[ myooz ]

/ myuz /

verb (used without object), mused, mus·ing.

to think or meditate in silence, as on some subject.

Archaic. to gaze meditatively or wonderingly.

verb (used with object), mused, mus·ing.

to meditate on.

to comment thoughtfully or ruminate upon.

Origin of muse

1300–50; Middle English musen to mutter, gaze meditatively on, be astonished < Middle French muser, perhaps ultimately derivative of Medieval Latin mūsum muzzle

SYNONYMS FOR muse

1 cogitate, ruminate, think; dream.

1, 3 ponder, contemplate, deliberate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR muse ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

mus·er, noun

Can be confused

mews muse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for musing

Instead, officials are musing about indirect sources of supply, by and through third countries.
CIA Director’s Trip to Kiev Was a Warning to Putin|Leslie H. Gelb|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The political media soon chimed in, musing about the cluelessness of the Obama campaign.
The GOP’s Two-Faced Celeb Bashing of Obama’s Parker-Wintour Fundraiser|Michelle Cottle|June 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Last week, for example, he was musing about a world without air-traffic controllers.
How Michele Gets Her Groove Back|Matt Latimer|September 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Frankl resumed his musing stroll, and Hogarth ran for the barrow.
The Lord of the Sea|M. P. Shiel

So she remained for hours looking about her, musing, contemplating.
The Bibliotaph|Leon H. Vincent
Billy sat motionless on the edge of the bed in their little room in San Jose that night, a musing expression in his eyes.
The Valley of the Moon|Jack London
Another half hour of like musing and suddenly he slapped his thigh.
Abe and Mawruss|Montague Glass
"You did well," said the Savelli, musing, and his eyes met those of Orsini.
Rienzi|Edward Bulwer Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for musing (1 of 3)

muse

/ (mjuːz) /

verb

(when intr, often foll by on or about) to reflect (about) or ponder (on), usually in silence

(intr) to gaze thoughtfully

noun

archaic a state of abstraction

Derived Forms

muser, nounmuseful, adjectivemusefully, adverb

Word Origin for muse

C14: from Old French muser, perhaps from mus snout, from Medieval Latin mūsus

British Dictionary definitions for musing (2 of 3)

muse

/ (mjuːz) /

noun

a goddess that inspires a creative artist, esp a poet

Word Origin for muse

C14: from Old French, from Latin Mūsa, from Greek Mousa a Muse

British Dictionary definitions for musing (3 of 3)

Muse

/ (mjuːz) /

noun

Greek myth any of nine sister goddesses, each of whom was regarded as the protectress of a different art or science. Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the nine are Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania

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