meditate
gb/mˈɛdɪtˌeɪt/ us/mˈɛdɪtˌeɪt/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
practice mindfulness or spiritual meditation
To sit quietly and focus your mind to feel calmer or more aware.
Usage pattern:
meditate; meditate for [time]; meditate to [do something]
Common mistake:
Don’t use "meditate" to mean "study" or "think normally"; it usually suggests a calming mental practice.
Synonyms
do meditation (Direct paraphrase; very close meaning.)
|
practice mindfulness (Often secular and stress-reduction focused.)
|
practice meditation (Neutral phrase; emphasizes doing it regularly.)
Antonyms
distract yourself (Focus is broken rather than maintained.)
|
fidget (Physically restless instead of still and focused.)
Collocations
meditate daily
|meditate every morning
|meditate for ten minutes
|meditate in silence
|meditate with an app
|meditate to relax
|meditate to reduce stress
|meditate before bed
|meditate after yoga
|learn to meditate
Themes
health
|wellbeing
|mindfulness
|spirituality
Examples
- I meditate for ten minutes before work to clear my head.
- She learned to meditate using a guided app.
- After yoga class, they meditated quietly in the studio.
Learner examples
- I meditate every day.
- Let’s meditate for five minutes.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
sit in quiet, serious thought
To sit quietly and think deeply.
Usage pattern:
meditate (in silence)
Common mistake:
In modern English, this sense can sound formal; everyday speech often uses "think" or "reflect" instead.
Synonyms
reflect (More common and less formal.)
|
contemplate (Often suggests careful, serious thought.)
|
muse (Softer; can suggest dreamy or creative thinking.)
Antonyms
chat (Talking rather than staying silent and thoughtful.)
|
rush (Acting quickly rather than pausing to think.)
Collocations
meditate in silence
|sit meditating
|stand meditating
|meditate quietly
|withdraw to meditate
|meditate alone
|meditate for hours
|meditate on the past (also common with on/upon)
|meditate by the window
|meditate by the sea
Themes
thinking
|emotions
Examples
- He sat by the lake, meditating until the sun went down.
- After hearing the news, she withdrew to her room to meditate.
- The monk remained still, meditating in silence.
Learner examples
- She sat and meditated.
Verb
literary
C2
action
3
plan or intend in advance
To plan something carefully (often something bad).
Usage pattern:
meditate [revenge/harm/a crime]
Common mistake:
This sense is rare in everyday speech; English more often uses "plan" or "premeditate."
Synonyms
plan (Neutral and common; not necessarily secret or harmful.)
|
plot (Often secret and usually negative.)
|
premeditate (Strongly associated with crime and legal contexts.)
Antonyms
improvise (Done without planning in advance.)
|
act on impulse (Done suddenly without prior intention.)
Collocations
meditate revenge
|meditate harm
|meditate a crime
|meditate an attack
|meditate betrayal
|meditate violence
Themes
crime
|law
|relationships
Examples
- He was accused of meditating revenge against his former boss.
- She denied ever meditating harm to anyone.
- In the novel, the villain meditates betrayal for years.
Grammar
Dictionary form
meditate
IPA
GB/mˈɛdɪtˌeɪt/
US/mˈɛdɪtˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
med - it - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (med)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: meditate
- 3rd Person Singular: meditates
- Present Participle: meditating
- Past: meditated
Word family
Forms
meditates
verb
meditating
verb
meditated
verb
Core family
meditation
noun B1
meditative
adjective
Related words
meditator
noun
meditatively
adverb
Advanced or less common
premeditate
verb
premeditation
noun
Expressions
meditate on/upon [something]
1/mˈɛdɪtˌeɪt ənəpən sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
think deeply about something
To think about something very seriously for a long time.
Examples
- Take a moment to meditate on what you’ve learned today.
- She meditated on his words all evening.
- He went for a walk to meditate upon the decision.