meditative

adjective

ˈme-də-ˌtā-tiv How to pronounce meditative (audio)
Definition of meditativenext
as in thoughtful
given to or marked by long, quiet thinking I've been in a meditative mood all day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of meditative According to Magsamen, slow, meditative hobbies can support improved memory and learning, including the ability to spot patterns, remember steps, and master new techniques. — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026 Tomorrow’s sessions are similar, with the addition of a fly-fishing casting lesson and a meditative stroll around the on-site labyrinth. — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, the in-cabin activities were equally soothing, with meditative coloring books, cards, board games, a yoga mat, and on-the-nose books about getting lost in nature’s beauty. — Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 The screenings drew a positive response from festival-goers, with many describing the experience as calming and meditative. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for meditative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meditative
  1. thoughtful
  2. melancholy
  3. reflective
  4. contemplative
  5. philosophical
  6. pensive
Adjective
  • The angular build brings in thoughtful symmetry and lots of tabletop space to curate a varied display of coffee table books and knickknacks.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Ranjit Bawa, chief technology and ventures officer at Deloitte, also recommends giving employees autonomy to make thoughtful decisions around when to use AI.
    — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a gravity, even a melancholy to her Mary Stone, which drew on Fabares’ ability to project a genuine inner life into the least promising scenarios.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Adjective
  • The collector uses reflective elements to direct sunlight toward an absorber panel, where the energy is trapped and transferred to a medium such as air or water.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The first feels rooted in youth, summer, romance and memory; after the switch, the music becomes more reflective, solitary and unsettled.
    — Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of reflective
Adjective
  • Pilgrims walk between temples, rest in historic ryokan and keep to contemplative daily rituals that discourage mass, high-speed tourism.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The pacing feels off throughout much of the film, with comic and contemplative asides gumming up the central caper.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of contemplative
Adjective
  • But that fear is also producing an increasingly dangerous critical climate in which audiences are being subtly encouraged to inspect every project for a philosophical smoking gun.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Voters, whether explicitly or not, wrestle with this philosophical fight.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of philosophical
Adjective
  • Her face, indisputably middle-aged, had a pensive, startled quality.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Or the pensive Thomas Jefferson standing in the dome across the way?
    — Matt Viser, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of pensive

Browse Nearby Words

meditations
meditative
medium
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Meditative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meditative. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cogent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All