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

Paloma Cinco Breaks Down Surprise ‘Ted Lasso’ Appearance Elsewhere, hoping to share a midnight smooch with his lady love, Matthijs makes a grand gesture and surprises Rebecca at the hospital. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026 Homewood-Flossmoor leaders said the gestures were directed at Black students. — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

Verb

Lavie appeared in a jailhouse-yellow shirt and blue pants and looked distressed throughout the hearing, nodding and gesturing to friends at times. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 Provenance representations, warranted by the vendor rather than gestured at in a policy page. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gesture

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture

Noun

The enhanced scrutiny on Underwood, as Joe Rexrode writes, is an unfortunate sign of the times.

— Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
The Bruins face a long and challenging season, but the Chesney Train won Game 1 and shows no signs of slowing down.

— Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of sign

Noun

Goal number 12 in the Champions League arrived courtesy of a free kick against Feyenoord as Barcelona ran out comfortable winners.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
But the Dodgers pulled ahead again two innings later, courtesy of the red-hot bat Teoscar Hernández has been swinging in September.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of courtesy

Verb

While Rincon faced Cole Carrigg in the sixth inning, Eddings halted the game with the count 2-0 and motioned to Cardinals catcher Leo Bernal, and Rincon adjusted his cap.

— Steve Berman, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
One person told police that Rodriguez was standing on the sidewalk outside the church when Rodriguez motioned for the person to fight him – after which Rodriguez approached and started swinging fists in his direction, according to court records.

— Harry Harris, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of motion

Noun

Everton’s departure from gorgeous, ramshackle Goodison Park — their home since 1892 — was another signal of new beginnings.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
However, bumps and microscopic unevenness alter the probe’s touch, creating false signals that look like moving ions.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of signal

Noun

The dynamic between the parents and the perpetrators steadily escalates from politeness to hostility to eventual torture, all while maintaining a frustrating attitude of inevitability and justification toward the former’s fate.

— Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026
She’s used to chief stews who yell and is thrown off by Aesha’s politeness.

— Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of politeness

Verb

Beyoncé, who wore a cozy hoodie for the outing, also blew kisses to the crowd and waved to fans as Jay-Z sang to her.

— Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
Fans are also shown waving the flag of the Philippines, an overhead shot of Eala’s black Chanel handbag and the WTA player posing in distressed jeans and a tangerine-colored open-back top.

— Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of wave

Noun

Just take a couple of deep breaths for 60 seconds, make sure your exhale is longer than your inhale, and see how your posture and feelings shift toward a calmer state.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026
In an awful instant, two boys lose their mother and the movie loses any kind of principled posture.

— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of posture

Noun

Hossain and her collaborators have conjured an internalized hellscape marked by sensual photography, gnarly cyst makeup, and suffocating matrimonial rituals involving turmeric and milk — all redolent with upper-class heteronormative rot.

— Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
The science on salt stomping is thin, but the science on consistent, phone-free wind-down rituals is not.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 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 12 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of gesture

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on gesture

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

hobnob

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

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

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes