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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gesture
CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
In the body, there’s a new articulation of the elbows and wrists that allows expressive hand gestures, such as hand flapping, which some autistic people may use to process their experiences or express themselves.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 12 Jan. 2026
Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
Trump gestured to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials when asked who would serve as his proconsuls in Venezuela.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gesture
Noun
The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some people with autism use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.
—CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
In the body, there’s a new articulation of the elbows and wrists that allows expressive hand gestures, such as hand flapping, which some autistic people may use to process their experiences or express themselves.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 12 Jan. 2026
Verb
The prosthetics started here [gesturing to his torso] and went up to my head.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
Trump gestured to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials when asked who would serve as his proconsuls in Venezuela.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gesture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture
Noun
-
About 30 percent of the galaxies emit radio waves, a sign that their central black holes are active.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The rich-looking denim alternative was a big trend in 2025, with co-signs from Hailey Bieber and Martha Stewart.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
An important piece of cosmic intel or a unique insight could arrive courtesy of a friend.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Bieber paired the mesmerizing dress with large statement 30-carat diamond studs, a few diamond rings courtesy of Lorraine Schwartz, and a pair of black open-toed heels.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The team motioned but stayed in punt formation.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Strange, though, motioned inside to help block an all-out Denver blitz.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The outer layer of the capsule is made from gelatin coated with a layer of cellulose and either molybdenum or tungsten, which blocks any RF signal from being emitted.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Advance Denim’s exclusive use of HV100 in key Asian markets is a clear signal that the future of denim doesn’t have to compromise between aesthetic authenticity, technical performance and planetary well-being.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The advice here is to stop overcommitting out of politeness.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
4 Jan. 2026
-
And yet, beneath the veil of politeness, there was rhetoric from the US president that suggests his default position in negotiations is still to pressure Kyiv, while appeasing Moscow.—
Clare Sebastian,
CNN Money,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Demonstrators waved signs, chanted in English and Spanish and danced to music from portable speakers.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Good, in the driver’s seat, waves cars past her.—
Frank Matt,
NBC news,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Maintaining an upright posture, press the dumbbells overhead until your elbows are almost straight.—
Greg Presto,
Outside,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The Four Freedoms were civic posture.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mirta describes the family’s new Saturday ritual of sitting on the couch and watching videos of Carillo.—
Kevin Maurer,
Rolling Stone,
13 Jan. 2026
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Still, one of Winter's most important pre-show rituals is something that has become somewhat of a tradition for fans as well.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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