1 meditate | Definition of meditate

meditate

verb
med·​i·​tate | \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt How to pronounce meditate (audio) \
meditated; meditating

Definition of meditate

intransitive verb

1 : to engage in contemplation or reflection He meditated long and hard before announcing his decision.
2 : to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness

transitive verb

1 : to focus one's thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over He was meditating his past achievements.
2 : to plan or project in the mind : intend, purpose He was meditating revenge.

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Other Words from meditate

meditator \ ˈme-​də-​ˌtā-​tər How to pronounce meditator (audio) \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for meditate

ponder, meditate, muse, ruminate mean to consider or examine attentively or deliberately. ponder implies a careful weighing of a problem or, often, prolonged inconclusive thinking about a matter. pondered the course of action meditate implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply. meditated on the meaning of life muse suggests a more or less focused daydreaming as in remembrance. mused upon childhood joys ruminate implies going over the same matter in one's thoughts again and again but suggests little of either purposive thinking or rapt absorption. ruminated on past disappointments

Examples of meditate in a Sentence

He meditates for an hour every morning. I've been meditating a career change for months.

Recent Examples on the Web

Niu releases another deep breath, silently meditating in a small pocket of the Wells Fargo Center’s depths. Jake Fischer, SI.com, "How Red Panda Became the NBA's Favorite Halftime Performer," 28 Aug. 2019 For years, Jesuit priests-in-training studied the Bible and meditated in rustic classroom buildings amid the forest. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, "New redwood park opening 15 miles from downtown San Jose," 7 June 2019 Diament’s mother, Carol Diament, said her son practiced Kung Fu and Tai Chi in prison, and taught other inmates at Sumter Correctional Institution how to meditate. Tess Sheets, orlandosentinel.com, "Orange County Jail inmate died in apparent suicide, reports say," 18 July 2019 This involves meditating for around ten hours a day, with few breaks. Nupur Anand, Quartz India, "Ten days of utter silence pulled me back from the brink of a mental breakdown," 2 July 2019 My doctor wants me to take Tylenol and learn to meditate. STAT, "Stop persecuting doctors for legitimately prescribing opioids for chronic pain," 28 June 2019 The installation’s sloping white walls obscure the hall’s towering concrete ones, creating a wide V shape that draws the eye toward a curvy island of white, crushed quartz and marble sand inhabited by sculptures and quietly meditating models. Catherine Womack, latimes.com, "With semi-nude models, Donna Huanca brings femme power into a male art world," 28 June 2019 Afterward, taking some time to enjoy San Diego’s beautiful weather by either strolling along Cardiff’s dog beach with our dogs, or taking a moment to meditate and be grateful at the Self-Realization Fellowship temple. San Diego Union-Tribune, "A reminder from her youngest son leads to idea for children’s books," 9 June 2019 Among the conveniences will be a room dedicated to meditating or napping. Roger Vincent, latimes.com, "NeueHouse to expand co-working space into historic Bradbury Building," 21 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'meditate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of meditate

1560, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

History and Etymology for meditate

Latin meditatus, past participle of meditari, frequentative of medēri to remedy — more at medical

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More Definitions for meditate

meditate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of meditate

: to spend time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation

meditate

verb
med·​i·​tate | \ ˈme-də-ˌtāt How to pronounce meditate (audio) \
meditated; meditating

Kids Definition of meditate

1 : to consider carefully : plan Here I meditated nothing but my escape …— Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
2 : to spend time in quiet thinking : reflect

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More from Merriam-Webster on meditate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with meditate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for meditate

Spanish Central: Translation of meditate

Nglish: Translation of meditate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of meditate for Arabic Speakers