as in gesturing
to move your arms and hands especially when speaking in an angry or emotional way
He was gesticulating wildly during his speech.
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Recent Examples of gesticulating
The video, without sound, shows the three of them gesticulating at each other before the 13-year-old in red pants appears to charge David and stab him.
—
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Bess finally blurted out, gesticulating and knocking over her glass of wine just as Sam opened a new bottle.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
In preschool, he was given a wordless role as Farmer McGregor in a school production of Peter Rabbit and began hamming it up, counting the missing tomatoes and gesticulating at his nemesis rabbit.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Their remaining team-mates applauded the away enclosure, but many in that section were gesticulating their disdain.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Bess finally blurted out, gesticulating and knocking over her glass of wine just as Sam opened a new bottle.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
In preschool, he was given a wordless role as Farmer McGregor in a school production of Peter Rabbit and began hamming it up, counting the missing tomatoes and gesticulating at his nemesis rabbit.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Their remaining team-mates applauded the away enclosure, but many in that section were gesticulating their disdain.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesticulating
Verb
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The two talked for more than 10 minutes, taking turns gesturing pointedly.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
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His lyrics detail a process of active healing, gesturing at a contentedness that beds in as your 20 begin to wane.—
Liam Inscoe-Jones,
Pitchfork,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a steal and dunk by Reed put UConn back up by six, Huskies coach Dan Hurley began waving his arms wildly at the fans behind his bench, exhorting them to be louder.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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It was speckled with fans in Brazilian yellow kits, with just a few French flags waving to celebrate Mbappé's goal.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Not long after, Grupo Frontera invited Pulido to perform both songs with them at a concert in Edinburg, nodding to the intergenerational success of musica mexicana.—
Isabella Gomez Sarmiento,
NPR,
24 Mar. 2026
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Named after Argentine slang for the protein powder and pill cocktail that gym bros use to bulk up fast, and nodding to their own rapid rise, PAPOTA smartly distilled newfound fame into self-critique.—
Maria Nenet Barrios,
Pitchfork,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gesticulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesticulating. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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