Brooders refers to individuals or animals who tend to dwell on or incubate thoughts or emotions for an extended period. Synonyms for brooders include introspective, contemplative, ruminative, pensive, reflective, and melancholic. Introspective people focus on their inner feelings and thoughts, while contemplative individuals consider a wide range of options before making decisions. Ruminative individuals tend to repeat thoughts and analyze them, often leading to overthinking. Pensive people are deep in thought, often appearing lost in contemplation. Reflective individuals analyze past events to learn from them and improve. Lastly, melancholic individuals tend to reflect on negative emotions and experiences. Each of these synonyms provides a slightly different nuance of the term brooders, depicting a variety of ways individuals can ponder their thoughts or emotions.