Thesaurus results for GESTURE

gesture 1 of 2

noun

ˈjes-chər

Definition of gesture

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in courtesy

an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners sent a handwritten thank-you note as a gesture of his gratitude

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Israeli military personnel in Gaza were instructed earlier Tuesday not to strike in the region without approval from top command or political leaders, but that gesture is unlikely to budge Hamas officials. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026 While many of the couple’s fans on social media supported their decision, not all of Edmonds’ 146,000 followers were convinced by the gesture. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

When an excitable teenager cut in front of my dad, Frankenstein — without saying a word — gestured for the kid to be patient and wait, patted my dad on the back and posed for a picture. — Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 In an often charmless environment, these design-minded accessories can gesture towards excellent taste, even in a rental. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gesture

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture

Noun

In an independent third-party clinical study of 33 participants, 100 percent showed improvement across seven key signs of lip aging after just one use, while 96 percent demonstrated enhanced lip volume after four weeks.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 4 Aug. 2026
Video from his dash camera shows the aircraft gliding under a highway sign, missing it by mere feet, before touching down in the empty lanes.

— Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of sign

Noun

The cobra seems angry and writhes and attacks, and the handler holds the snake at bay, looking like a man who has made poor lifestyle choices and therefore deserves whatever is coming courtesy of his snake pal.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Twenty-four-hour room service comes courtesy of La Rotisserie, the hotel’s excellent nouveau-Polish restaurant, and the basement fitness center includes a small swimming pool.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of courtesy

Verb

Malonga motioned to the ground behind us and described his vision of an outdoor cooking arena for conferences and events, as well as a bakery, a butchery, and a cheese workshop.

— Alicia Erickson, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026
After lunging for the ball, Sonnett fell to the ground, grabbed her left knee and motioned to Gotham’s bench for medical assistance.

— Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of motion

Noun

Under the deal, Visa will get BioCatch's behavioral biometrics platform, which analyzes data including keystroke timing, touch screen pressure and other signals to distinguish real users from scammers and bots.

— Hugh Son, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
Bautista’s casting signals a possible different approach to the character of Kratos, which has been the subject of intense online discourse following the first-look image released in February.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of signal

Noun

Southworth started focusing more specifically on civility, decency, and politeness after COVID, when many employees were fleeing the hospitality industry—all while the membership at their clubs was doubling.

— Hannah Seligson, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
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

Definition of politeness

Verb

Three had suffered burns, one seriously enough to be hospitalized twice and sent to a burn center after the injury was initially waved off as minor.

— Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Nandy waved the merger through after receiving some pretty painless assurances from Ellison, including preserving the editorial independence of 5 News and kids channels.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of wave

Noun

Project Perception functions as an orchestration layer with red agents identifying potential attack paths, blue agents investigating and imbuing security context, and green agents taking corrective action and strengthening defense posture.

— Will Townsend, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Biographers consistently credit her early ballet training—and later modeling career—with giving her the poise and effortless posture that became hallmarks of her style.

— Colleen Sullivan, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of posture

Noun

Pendleton’s travel-ready design leans into that ritual with a roll-up board printed in one of the heritage brand’s iconic patterns, reversible wooden pieces, and a vegan leather pouch for toting it around.

— Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2026
My mornings usually began at the in-resort dining spot, Celeste, where breakfast became less of a meal and more of a ritual of soulful cuisine and great service.

— Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of ritual

Browse Nearby Words

gestural

gesture

gestured

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of gesture

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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