gesture 1 of 2

noun

ˈjes-chər How to pronounce gesture (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

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
From extravagance to romantic gestures, life can feel a little more theatrical this season. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 That would mean a person wearing a Samsung smartwatch could make a specific gesture with their hand, which could carry out a feature on the device. — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Verb
With Declan Rice racing back to cover, Sorloth took too long and was crowded out, leaving Haaland to gesture and point to where the ball should have been played. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 12 July 2026 Her closing argument gestured broadly toward supporting public education, tenants, and quality of life, without specifics that voters could hold onto. — Bradley Honan, New York Daily News, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for gesture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture
  1. sign
  2. courtesy
  3. motion
  4. signal
  5. politeness
  6. wave
  7. posture
  8. ritual
Noun
  • Certain top players, including Alex de Minaur, opted out of the media boycott for Wimbledon, citing their appreciation of the prize money increase as a sign of progress.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • And the early signs of a smooth 2030 tournament hosting are not promising; the South Americans have been accused of both brutal tactics on the field and racist abuse by fans off it.
    — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of sign
Noun
  • His final game was the World Cup last-16 fixture between Spain and Portugal at this summer’s tournament, which eventual champions Spain won 1-0 courtesy of a stoppage-time Mikel Merino winner.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • More on the Platform titles below, with language courtesy of the festival.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 July 2026
Definition of courtesy
Verb
  • Hamrick said to his companion, motioning to a spot short of the summit.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • In security footage obtained by ABC 13, the officer, alleged to be Carrico, is seen motioning the woman to take a seat; the woman complies.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of motion
Noun
  • This signal reached Earth as a continuous invitation to fellowship, and the record-breaking viewership of Artemis II built like a slow cooker feast, with global engagement increasing from launch to splashdown.
    — Aparna Venkatesan, Space.com, 20 July 2026
  • Very early in the morning, however, the moon will make a series of aspects — with Mars, Saturn and Mercury retrograde — that could potentially trigger everything from feelings of restlessness to emotional reactions due to mixed signals.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 July 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
  • All that chaos lays the perfect foundation for Lionel Messi to wave his magic wand.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • Fans were launched into the air, beer shimmered in the sunlight as it was sprayed onto fellow fans, and dozens sang, danced and waved Mexican flags.
    — Meredith Nierman, NPR, 17 July 2026
Definition of wave
Noun
  • Investors and analysts are increasingly looking to other parts of the market, both to find neglected sources of value and to start assuming a defensive posture against a possible downturn.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Holding the slim lead, Thomas Tuchel decided to go with a more defensive posture.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Definition of posture
Noun
  • This is the Gion Matsuri festival, born more than 1,000 years ago as a ritual to ward off epidemics and celebrated in the former imperial city of Kyoto throughout July.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Use music intentionally for transitions, gatherings and shared rituals.
    — Bija Bennett, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of ritual

Browse Nearby Words

gestural
gesture
gestured
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gesture

Nglish: Translation of gesture for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gesture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

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

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All