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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vegetate
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
Why not vegetate?
—Jon Michail, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
Spores can also persist indefinitely in contaminated soil and may vegetate in grazeland, which could further spread the infection among South Dakota’s cattle.
—From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for vegetate
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
Why not vegetate?
—Jon Michail, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2022
Spores can also persist indefinitely in contaminated soil and may vegetate in grazeland, which could further spread the infection among South Dakota’s cattle.
—From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for vegetate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vegetate
Verb
-
The property, located in the heart of Jackson, has an on-site concierge to book safaris, outdoor adventures, and wellness appointments to relax between autumn adventures.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
-
If caught in a rip current, relax and float.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Dell’s downward-firing speakers, positioned underneath each side of the chassis, project decent sound quality if the laptop rests on a solid surface, not your lap.—
Charles Jefferies,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The Queen, who had recently returned from Scotland, opted to rest at Windsor Castle ahead of the demanding diplomatic schedule.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry
Shane Croucher
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The investigatory demand seeks to chill their services and advocacy, places an undue burden on Exodus to fulfill the request, exposes private information of its clients, and deters potential clients, according to the complaint.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Feel free to play around with the ratio of vodka/gin to brine to water, and/or to add some dry vermouth straight into the pitcher before chilling.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vegetate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vegetate. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share