musing
/mjuːz/ (bre, ipa) · [mjˈuzɪŋ] /mjuːz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmjuːzɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · [mjˈuzɪŋ] /ˈmjuːzɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · [mjˈuzɪŋ] /ˈmyü-ziŋ/ (ame, mw)
musing — verb
- musingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- musings3rd person singular
- musinging-ing form
- musingedpast simple
1. to spend time thinking about something in a quiet, unhurried way, often without
to spend time thinking about something in a quiet, unhurried way, often without trying to reach a specific answer or decision
Jiwoo sat on the park bench, musing about what she wanted to do after graduation.
muse + about + topic
Ayesha mused on the meaning of the old song as she listened to it again.
muse + on + topic
Otis mused over his friend's strange question for the rest of the evening.
The novelist often muses aloud while walking through the garden, testing dialogue for her characters.
Folake mused about the difference between happiness and contentment during her morning walk.
- ponder
more formal and suggests weighing options carefully
- reflect
emphasises looking back or considering past experiences
- contemplate
suggests longer, more serious or emotional thought
- ignore
to deliberately avoid thinking about something
文法句型
muse + about/on/over + topic
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person reflecting on an abstract or personal topic rather than a practical problem. Common with about, on, or over.
常見錯誤
musing — noun
1. a thought or series of thoughts that come from quietly reflecting on something;
a thought or series of thoughts that come from quietly reflecting on something; often used in the plural form to mean a collection of such thoughts shared through speech or writing
Apinya recorded her musings on city life in a small notebook she carried everywhere.
possessive + musings + on + topic
The professor's musings about time and memory were published as a series of short essays.
musings + about + topic
Omar shared his late-night musings with his roommate over breakfast the next morning.
William smiled at his own foolish musing and went back to work.
Greta's musings on friendship often surprised even her closest friends with their sharpness.
- reflection
more general; can apply to any act of thinking back
- rumination
suggests a longer, sometimes repetitive thought process
- meditation
more formal; often implies a structured or spiritual practice
文法句型
possessive + musing(s)
musing(s) + about/on + topic
用法筆記
Often followed by on or about to specify the topic. The plural musings is much more common than the singular musing in everyday use.
常見錯誤
musing — adjective
- musingpositive
- more musingcomparative
- most musingsuperlative
1. showing by your facial expression, posture, or manner that you are thinking deep
showing by your facial expression, posture, or manner that you are thinking deeply about something in a quiet, absorbed way
Noa wore a musing expression while watching rain run down the windowpane.
musing + expression
Valentina nodded but said nothing, her musing silence making the others curious about her thoughts.
The old photograph made Ari look musing, as if lost in another time.
Salma's musing gaze drifted from the book to the window and lingered there.
The judge listened with a musing frown, tapping his pen against the desk.
- pensive
very similar; pensive often suggests a gentle sadness
- thoughtful
more common and less literary; broader in meaning
- meditative
implies a calm, deliberate state of inward focus
- expressionless
showing no thought or emotion at all
文法句型
musing + expression/look/silence/gaze
be + musing
用法筆記
Describes a visible state of thoughtfulness rather than the act of thinking itself. Typically collocates with nouns describing facial expressions or bearing (expression, look, gaze, silence, frown).