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
Shyam Saran, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Now, with gestures like this latest birthday surprise, the couple appears back on solid ground, blending star power and romance in a way that keeps fans rooting for them.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Clothing must not feature offensive language, obscene gestures/graphics, or nudity or clothing that does not sufficiently cover undergarments.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
None of these are flashy gestures.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Certainly not Laura, who seems determined to interpret even Cherry’s most benign gestures in bad faith.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher went on one of his bad-boy tirades during a performance at the 1996 show by swearing, wandering the stage and making lewd gestures during his brother Noel's guitar solo.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
In such an environment, the smallest gestures carry disproportionate weight.
—Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers gestures while playing against New York Jets during the game at MetLife Stadium on September 07, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Advertisement Advertisement In one of several choreographed gestures suggesting a special and intimate relationship between Russia and India, Putin gave Modi a ride in his presidential limousine to their bilateral meeting in Tianjin.
—Shyam Saran, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Now, with gestures like this latest birthday surprise, the couple appears back on solid ground, blending star power and romance in a way that keeps fans rooting for them.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Clothing must not feature offensive language, obscene gestures/graphics, or nudity or clothing that does not sufficiently cover undergarments.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
None of these are flashy gestures.
—Mark Murphy, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Certainly not Laura, who seems determined to interpret even Cherry’s most benign gestures in bad faith.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher went on one of his bad-boy tirades during a performance at the 1996 show by swearing, wandering the stage and making lewd gestures during his brother Noel's guitar solo.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
In such an environment, the smallest gestures carry disproportionate weight.
—Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers gestures while playing against New York Jets during the game at MetLife Stadium on September 07, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gestures
Noun
-
Investors flocked to bonds because of signs of a slowdown in the labor market.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
-
On the flip side, secrecy triggers hypervigilance, where one partner obsessively scans for signs of deception or hidden threats, and naturally so given the suspicious nature of the matter.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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In Lake Michigan, beach-goers from Manistee County south to Berrien County should beware of strong rip currents, waves up to 6 feet high and gusts reaching 25 knots (28 mph).—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
If the message giver is experienced as coercive, conversations get derailed, often leaving the message receiver in awkward, if not hostile, postures.—
Matthew Mayhew,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Gavras, working from a script he co-wrote with Pulitzer-finalist playwright Will Arbery, seems to be poking fun at the vacuous postures of the oligarch class, just as Ruben Östlund and many other filmmakers have in recent years.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Today, humility and curiosity are stronger signals of relevance.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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The long-standing expectation was that these resonance signals would fade and become negligible as the momentum transfer increased.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gestures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gestures. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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