Thesaurus results for BECKONED

beckoned

verb

past tense of beckon

as in motioned

to direct or notify by a movement or gesture beckoned the bashful child to come closer

Synonyms & Similar 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 beckoned Was hearing Roland Hayes and, in time, other inspiring artists sing Schubert, Brahms, and Schumann songs like being beckoned by a musical brook to trust her instincts and follow its unlikely path? — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 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 The Super Bowl has long beckoned the highest ad rates of any live TV programming. — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 The same play-offs that had proved to be the graveyard of York’s promotion hopes at the semi-final stage 12 months earlier beckoned. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Royce powered his way through an avalanche powerslam as fans cheered and beckoned for LA Knight. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 The downtown skyline glowed behind them and the City of Angels — the entertainment capital of the world — beckoned below. — Avery Stone, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026 Broadway's glittering lights have always beckoned aspiring thespians and avid theatergoers to New York, and the city's ever exciting theatre scene is far from simply resting on its laurels. — Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026 As the service nears a close, a young Black man is beckoned forward. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beckoned

Verb

Bijan Robinson’s touchdown catch The Falcons motioned running back Bijan Robinson out of the backfield and, for the first time all game, put receiver Chris Blair onto the field with him.

— Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Sands was packing up his pregame tailgate when his wife called his name and motioned to the young man in obvious distress.

— Austin Meek, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of motioned

Verb

The lingerers brought their dirty dishes to the bus tub, wiped their mouths one last time with a napkin, and waved to Cleo, their faces saying, Nice job!

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Caleb Flynn waved him down and said his wife had been shot and the intruder was not in the house, the sergeant testified.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of waved

Verb

Just a twenty‑page pamphlet by Guy Wyser‑Pratte, one of the earliest practitioners, which mostly gestured at concepts rather than showing how to apply them.

— Alec Litowitz, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026
The gallery watched with rapt attention as Reddington gestured wildly, slammed his hand down and threw a stack of papers onto the bench.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of gestured

Browse Nearby Words

beckon

beckoned

beckoning

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Beckoned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beckoned. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of beckoned

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

nemesis

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes