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
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Recent Examples of gestures
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
But the broadcast was filled with unmistakable gestures of love and support — from Guthrie, her colleagues and the studio audience outside.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
The company tried hand gestures, rotating screens, phone cases with secondary screens, and rehashing old hardware with more stylish exteriors—none of it worked.
—ArsTechnica, 6 Apr. 2026
While navigating new currencies and customs, small gestures like leaving loose change on a table may not translate well, travel expert Rick Steves warned.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Small gestures like tipping or showing kindness can improve service and even increase the chances of complimentary perks.
—Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
Willy might as well be delivering newspapers or mopping the kitchen floor, so disconnected are his gestures.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Keeping her American accent, Sink’s Shakespearen cadence does not emanate as naturally, but her earnest delivery and flailing hand gestures deliver an awkward, uncertain, truly young Juliet that is not often seen.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Rhule is refocused, recognizing that no goodwill or big gestures can erase the disappointment of three losses by big margins to end the season in 2025 — 37-10 at Penn State, 40-16 in Lincoln against Iowa and 44-22 against Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
But maybe, to your point about gestures, gestures are pretty interesting.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
But the broadcast was filled with unmistakable gestures of love and support — from Guthrie, her colleagues and the studio audience outside.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2026
The company tried hand gestures, rotating screens, phone cases with secondary screens, and rehashing old hardware with more stylish exteriors—none of it worked.
—ArsTechnica, 6 Apr. 2026
While navigating new currencies and customs, small gestures like leaving loose change on a table may not translate well, travel expert Rick Steves warned.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2026
Small gestures like tipping or showing kindness can improve service and even increase the chances of complimentary perks.
—Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2026
Willy might as well be delivering newspapers or mopping the kitchen floor, so disconnected are his gestures.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Keeping her American accent, Sink’s Shakespearen cadence does not emanate as naturally, but her earnest delivery and flailing hand gestures deliver an awkward, uncertain, truly young Juliet that is not often seen.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
Rhule is refocused, recognizing that no goodwill or big gestures can erase the disappointment of three losses by big margins to end the season in 2025 — 37-10 at Penn State, 40-16 in Lincoln against Iowa and 44-22 against Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.
—Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gestures
Noun
-
Multiple street signs were also damaged during the celebration.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
University City is filled with yellow rezoning signs and cleared land seemingly on every corner.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.—
Simon Akam,
New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
But on a Sunday morning in July 1595, the groan of the heavy wooden door startled him from his gesticulations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
-
There was a rush of gesticulations, with Greenberg speaking in English.—
Robert Sullivan,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Based on the Tacoma pickup, the midsize 4Runner still waves the flag for the traditional SUV fans who want real off-road performance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The snowy-haired Scot waves me into the passenger seat of his Can-Am Traxter with a huge grin and navigates us through the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town, famously anchored by mainland Britain’s most remote pub, the Old Forge.—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
On this tour, the postures struck are much fewer and farther in-between, or less planned and deliberate-seeming.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The exchange was a distillation of their diverging postures toward the war that their boss has launched in Iran.—
Michelle L. Price,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In other words, wires get crossed and the brain sends pain signals a little north of the action.—
Julia Daye,
Popular Science,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Bogen says the pattern is familiar from older Internet platforms, where small behavioral cues became signals that shaped what users saw and how they were categorized.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gestures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gestures. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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