Skip to main content
musing

musing

25 6.3
A time when someone thinks quietly and deeply about something
  • noun
  • /ˈmjuːzɪŋ/
translation icon : reflexión
  • As students become more independent in their writing, they reflect on their musings and reactions.
  • philosophical musings
  • metaphysical musings
  • Private musings

Listen, that may be absolutely true, but share those thoughts and musings with your friends, therapist, anyone but them.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • When one thinks of current musings of democracy, one often mentions the notion of rights.

    Academic text (2014)
  • Then, after this period of idle, happy musing, odd, subliminal sensations began to filter into my consciousness.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Doing nothing is the musing of the poet.

  • Yes, and also a philosophical musing.

  • "After all," Mr. Cutting's musing broke in, "the day turned out to be fine."

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Are these musings what we common people know as thoughts?

  • I've written out these musings, accounts of my experience for you to consider.

  • Something about his earlier musings and the reaction of Kal was connecting half a thought.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Degas devised a pictorial structure that actively solicits the imaginative musings of the spectator.

    Academic text (1993)
  • After a long day, I enjoy spending time in musing about my goals and dreams.

Synonyms

thinking
vsmusing
872 1.8

Careful use of your mind to consider something

is more specific and calmer a long peaceful period of focused thought
reflection
vsmusing
119 3.7

Careful thought before making a decision

is broader and quieter a calm period not focused only on decisions
contemplation
vsmusing
25 4.8

Thinking about something very carefully for a long time

is quieter and more inward a calm long period rather than looking outward
meditation
vsmusing
22 3.9

A long, deep period of thinking about serious ideas

is more casual and unstructured a relaxed extended consideration
speculation
vsmusing
10 6.2

A long careful thought about ideas with no clear answer

is calmer and more general prolonged consideration rather than abstract focus
rumination
vsmusing
5 7.4

Long, careful thinking about something

is calmer and less repetitive a single steady period of thought
meditatio
vsmusing
  • Formal
9.9

Deep, quiet thinking or a short thoughtful essay

is everyday calm long thinking rather than a formal or written piece
reflexion
vsmusing
  • Archaic
6.8

Careful thought about something

is the same calm prolonged attention but expressed with different spelling

Antonyms

234 2.9

Something that takes your attention away from what you are doing

8 4.6

Not noticing things around you

How Reflective

meditation
22 3.9
contemplation
25 4.8
musing
25 6.3
reflection
119 3.7
thought
1.4

Surface Forms

musing singular
musings plural

Morphology

musing = muse (transparent) = muse + ing

The noun is a gerund/nominalization of the verb 'muse' formed with the regular suffix '-ing', so the meaning 'a period of reflection' is directly derived.

Etymology

Musing comes from the verb muse, from the Greek Mousa meaning 'inspiration'. So a musing is a quiet time of thought, a calm moment when you let ideas come to you.