wave
noun
plural waves
1
a
: a moving ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid (as of the sea)
b
chiefly literary
: water, sea
… this our island in the wave …—
Charles Dickens
Charles DickensThe buccaneer on the wave might relinquish his calling and become … a man of probity and piety on land …—Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel HawthorneThe sea was open to them, and they achieved their victories on the briny wave.—The Book of Commerce by Sea and Land
The Book of Commerce by Sea and Land2
a
: a shape or outline having successive curves
b
: a waviness of the hair
c
: an undulating line or streak or a pattern formed by such lines
3
: something that swells and dies away: such as
a
: a surge of sensation or emotion
a wave of anger swept over her
b
: a movement sweeping large numbers in a common direction
waves of protest
c
: a peak or climax of activity or occurrence
a wave of spending
a second wave of infection
a crime wave
4
: a sweep of hand or arm or of some object held in the hand used as a signal or greeting
5
: a rolling or undulatory movement or one of a series of such movements passing along a surface or through the air
6
: a movement like that of an ocean wave: such as
a
: a large new group (as in an activity or profession)
… the current wave of people interested in the farming lifestyle …—Jeff Neild
Jeff Neild… the wave of young talent making its mark on the NHL [National Hockey League] this season.—Mike Zeisberger
Mike Zeisberger
b
: one of a succession of influxes of people migrating into a region
c(1)
: a moving group of animals of one kind
(2)
: a sudden rapid increase in a population
d
: a line of attacking or advancing troops or airplanes
e
: a display of people in a large crowd (as at a sports event) successively rising, lifting their arms overhead, and quickly sitting so as to form a swell moving through the crowd
7
a
: a disturbance or variation that transfers energy progressively from point to point in a medium and that may take the form of an elastic deformation or of a variation of pressure, electric or magnetic intensity, electric potential, or temperature
b
: one complete cycle of such a disturbance
8
: a marked change in temperature : a period of hot or cold weather
9
: an undulating or jagged line constituting a graphic representation of an action
Examples of wave in a Sentence
The waves crashed onto the rocks.
She has a wave in her hair.
Waves of warm air washed over us.
We got a wave from the Queen.
The rabbit disappeared with a wave of the magician's wand.
Recent Examples on the Web
The calm Gulf waves are perfect for families, and beyond the beach, Naples offers attractions like a zoo, botanical gardens, and the interactive Golisano Children’s Museum.
—Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Iran launched waves of attacks on Israel on Monday, and Israel launched strikes on central and western Iran.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Ortega has worked to elevate Zara’s brand beyond fast fashion, through a series of creative collaborations and a stronger focus on design, helping the group distinguish itself from a growing wave of fast-fashion competitors.
—Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 June 2026
In this case, the largest tsunami wave measured was about one meter—considerably smaller than the nearly 40-meter tsunami that was generated by the 2011 Tohoku quake in Japan.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wave
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Iran launched waves of attacks on Israel on Monday, and Israel launched strikes on central and western Iran.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
Ortega has worked to elevate Zara’s brand beyond fast fashion, through a series of creative collaborations and a stronger focus on design, helping the group distinguish itself from a growing wave of fast-fashion competitors.
—Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 June 2026
In this case, the largest tsunami wave measured was about one meter—considerably smaller than the nearly 40-meter tsunami that was generated by the 2011 Tohoku quake in Japan.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wave
Cite this Entry
“Wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wave. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wave
1 of 3 verb
waved; waving
1
: to float or shake in an air current : flutter
flags waving in the breeze
2
: to signal or salute with the hand or with something held in it
3
: brandish
waved a pistol and made threats
4
: to move before the wind with a wavelike motion
a field of waving grain
5
: to follow or cause to follow a curving line or take a wavy form
waved her hair
wave
2 of 3 noun1
: a moving ridge on the surface of water
2
: a wavelike formation or shape
a wave in the hair
3
: the action or process of making wavy or curly
4
: a waving motion
a wave of the hand
5
: a steady flowing movement
a wave of color swept the speaker's face
6
: a sudden or rapid increase
a wave of buying
7
: a disturbance similar to a wave in water that transfers energy progressively from point to point
a light wave
8
: a period of hot or cold weather
Wave
3 of 3 noun
: a woman serving in the navy before 1978
Medical Definition
wave
noun1
a
: a disturbance or variation that transfers energy progressively from point to point in a medium and that may take the form of an elastic deformation or of a variation of pressure, electrical or magnetic intensity, electrical potential, or temperature
b
: one complete cycle of such a disturbance
2
: an undulating or jagged line constituting a graphic representation of an action
an electroencephalographic wave
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