waved; waving
1
: to motion with the hands or with something held in them in signal or salute
2
: to float, play, or shake in an air current : move loosely to and fro : flutter
flags waving in the breeze
4
: to become moved or brandished to and fro
signs waved in the crowd
5
: to move before the wind with a wavelike motion
field of waving grain
6
: to follow a curving line or take a wavy form : undulate
1
: to swing (something) back and forth or up and down
2
: to impart a curving or undulating shape to
waved her hair
3
a
: to motion to (someone) to go in an indicated direction or to stop : signal
waved down a passing car
b
: to gesture with (the hand or an object) in greeting or farewell or in homage
c
: to dismiss or put out of mind : disregard
—usually used with aside or off
d
: to convey by waving
waved farewell
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 surging movement of a group
a big new wave of women politicians
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
: a member of the women's component of the U.S. Navy formed during World War II and discontinued in the 1970s
Synonyms
Examples of wave in a Sentence
Verb
We waved to our friends through the window.
She was waving in the direction of the bridge.
Flags were waving in the breeze.
The magician waved his magic wand.
The leader of the parade waved a flag.
It was so hot that we were all waving our hands in front of our faces to cool off.
Noun (1)
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 WebGabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024
One protester waved a burning torch at a police trooper and another was lying under a police car, the statement said.
—NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
At rallies across Israel, the largest in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, crowds chanted and waved signs and flags.
—Mallory Moench, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
There was music and dancing at the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, where attendees waved placards and blew clouds of smoke into the air.
—Jack Guy, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
Hundreds more protested outside in the drizzling rain, many demanding a cease-fire and waving Palestinian flags.
—Colleen Long, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2024
Continue reading … 'ENVY KILLS' – Freeloading migrant influencer mocks US taxpayers who ‘work like slaves’ while waving cash.
—Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
The typically stoic 18-year-old waved both arms toward the crowd.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
On March 15, Hare was dispatched to a driver reported to be waving down other drivers at 4:47 a.m. on Interstate 40 in Quay County, according to court documents.
—Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Another wave of drones crippled a dozen Russian planes at an airfield in Rostov.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines all issued and then canceled tsunami warnings after the quake, though several small tsunami waves were reported in Okinawa, Japan.
—USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
And speaking of bombshell hair, Beyoncé’s blonde waves were nestled under her cowboy hat.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
Earthquakes occur when two plates suddenly slip past each other, setting off seismic waves that cause the planet's surface to shake, according to the USGS.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Yet the sharply higher borrowing costs for individuals and companies that resulted from the Fed’s rate hikes were widely expected to trigger a recession, with waves of layoffs and a painful rise in unemployment.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
The only factor that might be cause for concern has to do with the seismic waves traveling across the East Coast, which are felt more widely because of differences in the Earth’s crust.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
There’s also a concern for high surf across the Central Coast down to San Diego, with warnings of 8- to 16-foot waves and dangerous rip currents.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Verb
The video then switched to the father and daughter waving at the camera while sitting in a classic car.
—Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024
One protester waved a burning torch at a police trooper and another was lying under a police car, the statement said.
—NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
At rallies across Israel, the largest in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, crowds chanted and waved signs and flags.
—Mallory Moench, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024
There was music and dancing at the Brandenburg Gate in central Berlin, where attendees waved placards and blew clouds of smoke into the air.
—Jack Guy, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
Hundreds more protested outside in the drizzling rain, many demanding a cease-fire and waving Palestinian flags.
—Colleen Long, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2024
Continue reading … 'ENVY KILLS' – Freeloading migrant influencer mocks US taxpayers who ‘work like slaves’ while waving cash.
—Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
The typically stoic 18-year-old waved both arms toward the crowd.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
On March 15, Hare was dispatched to a driver reported to be waving down other drivers at 4:47 a.m. on Interstate 40 in Quay County, according to court documents.
—Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024
Noun
The much higher borrowing costs for individuals and companies that resulted from the Fed's rate increases were widely expected to trigger a recession, with waves of layoffs and a painful rise in unemployment.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Apr. 2024
Another wave of drones crippled a dozen Russian planes at an airfield in Rostov.
—Tim Lister, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines all issued and then canceled tsunami warnings after the quake, though several small tsunami waves were reported in Okinawa, Japan.
—USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
And speaking of bombshell hair, Beyoncé’s blonde waves were nestled under her cowboy hat.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 5 Apr. 2024
Earthquakes occur when two plates suddenly slip past each other, setting off seismic waves that cause the planet's surface to shake, according to the USGS.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Yet the sharply higher borrowing costs for individuals and companies that resulted from the Fed’s rate hikes were widely expected to trigger a recession, with waves of layoffs and a painful rise in unemployment.
—Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
The only factor that might be cause for concern has to do with the seismic waves traveling across the East Coast, which are felt more widely because of differences in the Earth’s crust.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
There’s also a concern for high surf across the Central Coast down to San Diego, with warnings of 8- to 16-foot waves and dangerous rip currents.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English wafian to wave with the hands; akin to Old English wæfan to clothe and perhaps to Old English wefan to weave
Noun (2)
Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun (1)
1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
1942, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of wave was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing wave
Articles Related to wave
Dictionary Entries Near wave
Cite this Entry
“Wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wave. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids 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
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
More from Merriam-Webster on wave
Nglish: Translation of wave for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of wave for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wave
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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