as in to relax
to spend time doing things that do not require much thought or effort; to be very lazy or inactive
I just spent the weekend vegetating at home. I'm worried that after I retire I'll just sit at home, watch TV, and vegetate.
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Recent Examples of vegetate
This small reservoir grows big bass but is heavily vegetated in early spring.
—
Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 11 June 2024
The program has documented more than 900 springs with flowing or standing water within Arizona’s Sky Islands region, 75 of them with moist ground only, 55 that are dry but still vegetated, and 272 that have dried completely.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
About 30 minutes later, rescuers made voice contact with Blessing but were unable to reach him until about midnight, due to the steep and thickly vegetated terrain, Fish and Game said.
—Nick Stoico, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
All the turtles bought on impulse, vegetating in plastic lagoons.
—Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for vegetate
Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 11 June 2024
The program has documented more than 900 springs with flowing or standing water within Arizona’s Sky Islands region, 75 of them with moist ground only, 55 that are dry but still vegetated, and 272 that have dried completely.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 20 May 2024
About 30 minutes later, rescuers made voice contact with Blessing but were unable to reach him until about midnight, due to the steep and thickly vegetated terrain, Fish and Game said.
—Nick Stoico, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
All the turtles bought on impulse, vegetating in plastic lagoons.
—Anne Fadiman, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for vegetate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vegetate
Verb
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Indigenous peoples in the area have been coming there for 1000s of years to soak and take advantage of the waters, and so there’s been a hotel or some manner of resort there since the late eighteen hundreds, welcoming people to come and take the waters and relax and enjoy.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
15 May 2026
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In Finland, some of the most sincere and open conversations happen inside and between sauna sessions, when everyone is relaxed and stripped of egos, titles and status.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Internationally, however, the film’s distribution prospects rest largely on Cotillard, also burdened with the heaviest dramatic lifting to do as the stricken, unworldly protagonist who bridges the film’s two improbably connected realms.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 May 2026
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The good news is the Knicks making quick work of the Sixers granted a lot of time for Anunoby and the Knicks to rest.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and chill at least 45 minutes and up to 12 hours.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 May 2026
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The spiral of menace is breathtaking as Gary continues to dig them in deeper with his misplaced confidence and reckless moves, and a bone-chilling warning left in the dead of night forces Irwin to bring Hester up to date.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vegetate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vegetate. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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