as in movement
the act or an instance of changing position
we were instructed not to make any sudden motions or we might scare away the deer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 motion
Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 June 2026
Settles-Tidwell plans to oppose that motion, her attorney said, fearing that the jury pool in Sacramento may be biased.
—Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Another incident identified by police allegedly occurred on March 27, when Berrios-Otero allegedly motioned for a 4-year-old child to sit on his lap and directed him to get a blanket, according to the warrant affidavits.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for motion
Noun
The stop motion animation feature explores the unexpected paths to building a family through a story inspired by real events.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 June 2026
Settles-Tidwell plans to oppose that motion, her attorney said, fearing that the jury pool in Sacramento may be biased.
—Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Verb
Channeling his inner Jameson, a spirited Simmons then motioned for Spider-Man to get tossed from the game.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Another incident identified by police allegedly occurred on March 27, when Berrios-Otero allegedly motioned for a 4-year-old child to sit on his lap and directed him to get a blanket, according to the warrant affidavits.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for motion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motion
Noun
-
Initiative, dubbed a ‘Swiss Brexit,’ sought binding limits by 2050, forcing strict curbs on asylum, family reunification and work permits, potentially dismantling Switzerland’s deal on free movement of people and close EU ties.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Kogonada, who also wrote and edited the film, built the project around Hong Kong’s particular relationship with memory and movement, taking three days to identify a geography the team could navigate largely on foot.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Algerian flags waved above the crowd as chants echoed through the plaza, alongside the sounds of drums, horns and singing.—
J.M. Banks
June 15,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
Up in the stands, fans waved their own flags — including some sneaked in over the objections of FIFA and the courts — and wrestled with emotions, as boos, howls and hisses rained down from all corners of the stadium.—
Rick Maese,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Save emails and messages that show shifting expectations, unwarranted criticism or attempts to take credit for your work.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Many of the options are changing to accommodate shifting preferences.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Josh asks, gesturing to their current situation of eating dinner atop a yoga mat in the kitchen of their apartment.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
The premise means that almost the entire episode is free of dialogue, with the characters communicating by writing on chalkboards and gesturing.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The move also comes on the same day Angel City parted ways with head coach Alexander Strauss and traded rising star Kennedy Fuller to Bay FC.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
-
The commission endorsed the idea of adding 10 council members, a move that would reduce the size of each council district to roughly 159,000 residents from 265,000.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The latest Beige Book released June 3 signaled that while wage growth is largely in line with inflation, firms are absorbing higher input costs to preserve customer demand – something that usually happens when businesses feel consumers cannot afford further price increases.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
Activists and political figures now often comb through the biographies of journalists at major institutions looking for instances of past behavior that could signal political bias.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
As traditional radio was being upended by rapid technology shifts, Audacy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2024, emerging a year later with reduced debt and a revitalized outlook.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
-
Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
That’s made the team’s preparation for the tournament difficult, including a last-minute training base relocation from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
-
Global Citizen Solutions’ Global Intelligence Unit (GIU) has assessed each destination through the lens of relocation, incorporating passport mobility rights as a core dimension of livability.—
Connor Sturges,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motion. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
