Synonyms of muse

muse 1 of 2

noun

as in poet

a person who writes poetry

where is the muse who will sing of this man's great and noble deeds?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• poet
• minstrel
• bard
• rimester
• rhymester
• versifier
• poetaster
• poetess
• troubadour
• lyricist
• poet laureate
• sonneteer
• rhapsodist
• rhymer
• epigrammatist
• scop
• rhapsode
• epigrammatizer

muse

2 of 2

verb

as in to ruminate

Related Words

• ruminate
• ponder
• meditate
• contemplate
• reflect
• project
• reminisce
• relive
• plan
• invent
• make up
• concoct
• daydream
• re-create
• manufacture
• dream
• foresee
• fabricate
• vision
• fantasy
• hallucinate
• fantasize
• prefigure
• visualize
• envision
• imagine
• image
• envisage
• fancy
• feature
• conceive
• conjure (up)
• picture
• conceit
• stargaze
• see
• ideate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word muse different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of muse are meditate, ponder, and ruminate. While all these words mean "to consider or examine attentively or deliberately," muse suggests a more or less focused daydreaming as in remembrance.

mused upon childhood joys

When is it sensible to use meditate instead of muse?

While in some cases nearly identical to muse, meditate implies a definite focusing of one's thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply.

meditated on the meaning of life

When might ponder be a better fit than muse?

The meanings of ponder and muse largely overlap; however, ponder implies a careful weighing of a problem or, often, prolonged inconclusive thinking about a matter.

pondered the course of action

Where would ruminate be a reasonable alternative to muse?

While the synonyms ruminate and muse are close in meaning, 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of muse

Noun

This dynamic took on fresh intensity on Monday, when Trump renewed his criticisms of Pritzker, taunting his physical fitness and musing about sending the National Guard to Chicago. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2025

Once Fogerty started openly musing about wanting his old instrument back, Julie secretly went to work tracking it down. —Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025

Verb

And oooh, Mercury + Mars are heating up your Scorpio creativity zone, so your muses are LOUD right now. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025

Many surrealist artists cast women as muses or dream figures conjured for the male gaze. —Sally Jane Brown, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025