Definition of beckonnext
as in to motion
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture beckoned the bashful child to come closer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

beckon

2 of 2

noun

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 beckon
Verb
Yet the socialist ideal still beckons – the idea that the state, embodied either in one person or somehow in the masses, can make people richer or happier by controlling the engines of production. James K. Glassman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The low-friction surface and dry desert air are conducive to speed and have beckoned drivers since the first race there in 1914. ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Noun
Fame and fortune beckon, but soon their newfound celebrity status attracts attention from the criminal underworld. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beckon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beckon
Verb
  • One person told police that Rodriguez was standing on the sidewalk outside the church when Rodriguez motioned for the person to fight him – after which Rodriguez approached and started swinging fists in his direction, according to court records.
    Harry Harris, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Councilor Jennifer Sigette motioned to keep the city meeting open so everyone would have a chance to comment, to no avail.
    Gabriel Brito, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Southern California is in the middle of a Super El Niño heat and humidity wave.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That scoreboard is now misleading, because the same AI wave letting those companies shed jobs is handing thousands of capable people the time and the reason to build something of their own.
    Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After so many games this season, some version of that adage, a verbal shrug and a nod to how unpredictable the sport is, has been uttered in the Padres clubhouse.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2026
  • PlayStation, no doubt, is meeting this situation with a shrug.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Noun
  • Some are trees, some are shrubs, some are native to us here in the American South and some flourish in parts of Asia half a world away.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The narrative laments and emotive snapshots of Lost Weekend stick with you more than any sonic flourish or new production technique that moves her forward as an artist.
    Lina Lecaro, SPIN, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • At the president’s beck and call is the United States Marine Band, created by an act of Congress in 1798.
    Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • That work on behalf of the government, with emphasis on the Department of Justice, has much lawyering undertaken for political reasons, most notably at the beck and call of the nation’s current president.
    Miles J. Zaremski, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beckon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beckon. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!