1
as in signs
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 courtesies
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
as in motions
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 gestures
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
These are not philanthropic gestures.
—Olivier Wenden, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
While not part of any official observance, the gestures were widely shared by groups like the Turning Point USA Facebook community, which reposted photos of participants nationwide.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Small gestures go a long way Once games were over, win or loss, Loyola’s coaches and players would receive an email from Sister Jean.
—Elise Devlin, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Reed Partridge, the government’s legislative auditor and the former interim ethics administrator, confirmed that the ethics commission was reviewing the claim, as well as a separate claim involving whether Lopez made lewd gestures during a public meeting.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2025
This placement favors acts of service over grand gestures, choosing quality over quantity.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Each leg incorporates six DoF, complemented by additional arm and waist flexibility, allowing Oli to perform complex, ballet-like gestures with balance and precision.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Our reviewer especially liked their seamless iOS connectivity and hands-free Siri controls, which even include head gestures.
—PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
Pointed gestures toward the lingering tension between Japan and Korea — and between those two countries and the rest of the planet — are drowned out by tiresome bickering and exaggerated gags, like a meaningful conversation swallowed into the sound of an airplane engine screaming overhead.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
These are not philanthropic gestures.
—Olivier Wenden, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
While not part of any official observance, the gestures were widely shared by groups like the Turning Point USA Facebook community, which reposted photos of participants nationwide.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Small gestures go a long way Once games were over, win or loss, Loyola’s coaches and players would receive an email from Sister Jean.
—Elise Devlin, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Reed Partridge, the government’s legislative auditor and the former interim ethics administrator, confirmed that the ethics commission was reviewing the claim, as well as a separate claim involving whether Lopez made lewd gestures during a public meeting.
—Kansas City Star, 10 Oct. 2025
This placement favors acts of service over grand gestures, choosing quality over quantity.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Each leg incorporates six DoF, complemented by additional arm and waist flexibility, allowing Oli to perform complex, ballet-like gestures with balance and precision.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Our reviewer especially liked their seamless iOS connectivity and hands-free Siri controls, which even include head gestures.
—PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gestures
Noun
-
But there have been signs that Kim has spent months preparing for a major parade in the capital Pyongyang, potentially at night and involving tens of thousands of people, according to the South Korean military.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The researchers also uncovered signs of immune and inflammation pathways involved in the disease, which could help guide treatment in the future.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Leonora measures out her days in courtesies and slights, the former dominating the beginning of the book, the latter rapidly gaining ground.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There was a rush of gesticulations, with Greenberg speaking in English.—
Robert Sullivan,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In Los Angeles, Justin Bieber takes the court for some basketball, a pregnant Cardi B waves her arms and Glen Powell and Peyton Manning are all smiles at the Chad Powers premiere.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
After the Hunt star Andrew Garfield waves to attendees of the red carpet premiere of the film in Venice on Friday.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In the studio, niche interests are exchanged for conformity and collective attention to breath and postures—at least on the surface.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Animals configure their faces and bodies in certain postures for practical reasons — for example, unsheathing their teeth before biting, widening their eyes for a panoramic view of danger, flattening their ears to protect them in a fight.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The foreign surveillance aircraft detected and likely tracked these false radar signals.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
-
These factors send signals to the brain that result in the muscle contractions accompanied by orgasm.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gestures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gestures. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share