gesture 1 of 2

Definition of gesturenext
1
as in sign
a movement of the body or limbs that expresses or emphasizes an idea or feeling a teenager who often shrugs her shoulders in a gesture of indifference

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2

gesture

2 of 2

verb

as in to motion
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture the police officer gestured me to the side of the road to tell me my headlight was out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 gesture
Noun
Additionally, WatchOS 26 introduces helpful new features, including a convenient wrist-flick gesture and timely suggestions. Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026 Probably not the best gesture given it was still holding a gun in each hand. Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Verb
The complaint says that within 30 seconds of Toussaint pulling a mask over his face, Martin began to gesture towards him, sparking a confrontation that quickly escalated into gunfire. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 When Senegal pulled one back in the 95th minute, disturbing the serenity of the closing stages, Mbappe gestured for calm. Adam Crafton, New York Times, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gesture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture
Noun
  • The housing bill, formally called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, can still become law if Trump neither signs it nor vetoes it in 10 days, excluding Sundays.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • There are signs all around Preston Hollow opposing the project.
    J.D. Miles, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Sugar is at the forensic lab with the corpse of a man who looks an awful lot like Ji Moon but isn’t Ji Moon (courtesy of Shea Whigham as Tom Flybjerg).
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026
  • The purists were always going to take issue with a Prancing Horse that had an electric powertrain instead of snarling internal combustion engine, but its unorthodox design, courtesy of Jony Ivy’s LoveFrom studio, has received just as much criticism.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • In video shared by the outlet, Stewart grips surfaces for support while singing before motioning to a crew member, who brings over an oxygen tank and places the mask over his nose and mouth.
    Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 21 June 2026
  • The regular working-class crew heading home for the day filed onto her bus when a supervisor popped by the front door and motioned to two teen girls.
    Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Swollen or tender nodes at the neck, armpits or groin signal that the body’s filtration sites are overloaded or actively fighting something, per Cleveland Clinic.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
  • The website tracks only vessels with active transponders, meaning additional ships may have crossed with their signals switched off.
    Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • The board member who survives every conversation about them has been preserved not by respect but by politeness.
    Audrey Russo, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Good bathroom etiquette here is less about politeness than safety, since a crowded aisle is something the crew would rather avoid.
    Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • As recently as May, Tesla’s X account posted an ad showing drivers with their hands off the wheel, goofing off while waving their fingers in the air or sipping a hot coffee from a ceramic mug with two hands.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026
  • Argentina fans celebrated in the concourse of AT&T Stadium with roaring chants, flag waving and dancing.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • That proactive posture is worth a fortune.
    Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Bartlett’s posture is ramrod straight, his voice a pleasant, precise British lilt that’s nothing like his natural Australian accent.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Toni and Shakira appeared to be in trouble after one of the show’s most meta humiliation rituals, in which the group is treated to a showing of clips of themselves having private conversations about their castmates and lovers.
    Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
  • Because Capricorn is an Earth sign, Thomas shared rituals connected to nature may feel especially powerful during this lunar phase.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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