meditate

[ med-i-teyt ]

verb (used without object)

, med·i·tat·ed, med·i·tat·ing.

1. to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.

   Synonyms: think, study, cogitate, ruminate, muse, ponder

2. to engage in Transcendental Meditation, devout religious contemplation, or quiescent spiritual introspection.

verb (used with object)

, med·i·tat·ed, med·i·tat·ing.

1. to consider as something to be done or effected; intend; purpose:

   to meditate revenge.

   Synonyms: contrive, devise, plan, contemplate

meditate

/ ˈmɛdɪˌteɪt /

verb

1. intr; foll by on or upon to think about something deeply
2. intr to reflect deeply on spiritual matters, esp as a religious act

   I make space to meditate every day

3. tr to plan, consider, or think of doing (something)

Derived Forms

• ˈmeditativeness, noun
• ˈmeditative, adjective
• ˈmediˌtator, noun
• ˈmeditatively, adverb

Other Words From

• medi·tating·ly adverb
• medi·tator noun
• un·medi·tated adjective
• un·medi·tating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meditate¹

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin meditātus “contemplated, planned,” past participle of meditārī “to meditate, contemplate, plan”

Word History and Origins

Origin of meditate¹

C16: from Latin meditārī to reflect upon

Example Sentences

Her “ethics of care,” as she called it, involved encouraging the boys to take music lessons, read books and even meditate when she could persuade them to join her.

From ProPublica

Somehow, he finds time every day to exercise for an hour and to meditate.

From Washington Post

You can become someone who exercises and meditates every day and always drinks eight glasses of water.

From Vox

The most bare-bones way to meditate is to focus on your breathing.

From Popular-Science

For the best results, consider turning off all push notifications at least while you’re meditating, and perhaps even for longer stretches of time surrounding your practice.

From Popular-Science

Von Furstenberg generally refuses to meditate on the meaning of life.

From The Daily Beast

As a Christian, I try to meditate or pray at least once a day, however briefly.

From The Daily Beast

There are yogis who actually meditate, pray, and are deeply concerned with the survival and well-being of our planet.

From The Daily Beast

But the more you meditate on it, the deeper its wisdom becomes.

From The Daily Beast

After I meditate, I shoot a strong espresso and go to the desk.

From The Daily Beast

Much less would it help you to meditate upon the pure and holy things of God.

From Project Gutenberg

If it suits your evolutions, aunt Kitty and myself meditate a Sussex journey next week.

From Project Gutenberg

But some mornings I make observations through the tent flap that I cannot stay in bed to meditate on.

From Project Gutenberg

Again he began to meditate an attempt to escape, and on a certain evening, set off from the convent.

From Project Gutenberg

They then reviled him, and spurned him away from their sight, and began to meditate measures of violence against him.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ponder
• ruminate