musing
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of musing
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; see muse, -ing 1, -ing 2
Explanation
Use the adjective musing to describe something that's reflective or thoughtful, like a musing diary entry that explores the meaning of life. When you ponder or contemplate, you muse, and anything that appears this way can be described as musing. You might love your English teacher's musing responses to students' questions or grow bored by a French film's slow, musing quality. You can also use the word as a noun meaning "period of reflection," although it's most often written as the plural musings: "This book is nothing but the author's musings about his cat."
Vocabulary lists containing musing
Our Town
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Just Mercy
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d" by Walt Whitman
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Her account on X, formerly Twitter, mixes messages about high-level diplomacy with the occasional musing on outfit choices and remarks about cooking dinner.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026
Musk returned fire, calling O’Leary an “utter idiot” who should be fired and musing on the social-media service he owns whether he should buy the airline and install someone named Ryan to run it.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 20, 2026
In the changing rooms, a welcoming, ready-made friendship group of Newcastle-supporting team-mates pull on black and white jerseys while musing about early season defeats by Juventus and Inter Milan.
From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025
Trump also heaped praise on envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner for their efforts in brokering the deal, while musing about the idea of Israel making peace with Iran.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 13, 2025
Cook’s eyes are quiet, as if she’s lost in an inner musing.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
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.
