motion 1 of 2

Definition of motionnext

motion

2 of 2

verb

as in to wave
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture the referee motioned the team captains to confer with him on the sideline

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 motion
Noun
On June 8, the Court denied the Plaintiffs' forthwith motion for entry of injunction pending appeal. Olivia Young, CBS News, 8 June 2026 The Senate last Friday defeated a procedural motion to move forward with a bipartisan package to reauthorize the warrantless spy program, creating a cloud of doubt that lawmakers will meet the deadline. ABC News, 8 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
  • Total football remade soccer worldwide by emphasizing movement and pressure on the ball and the interchangeability of positions, laying the groundwork for the modern incarnation of the sport.
    Leander Schaerlaeckens June 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • Gabriel leans into the music, and the bell of his sax catches the light, flashing gold with each movement.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Backstage, a handful of high-spirited elementary-age girls — known as Vista Horizon, a K-pop quintet from K-town — waved to them in awe and offered their congratulations.
    Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • On the second day of the competition, hundreds of high school students milled about in team gear as parents and mentors mingled in the stands, waving pompoms or holding banners to celebrate when student robot operators took to the field.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • Tuck thick layers of dryer lint between and around fragile items to pad them from any shifting of the box’s contents.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
  • The shifting is effortless and precise, the steering intuitively responsive, and the grip decidedly reassuring, as is the overall handling, a pleasant surprise for a car that pushes the lightweighting boundaries.
    Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • People who attend the trial will also be prohibited from reacting, gesturing, wearing distracting clothing or otherwise disrupting the proceedings.
    Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 1 June 2026
  • Halverson gestured to a telephone behind him on his office desk.
    Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • When asked about a statement Anthropic released last week about taking a pause due to the technology being almost able to develop itself, Amodei said that countries and AI labs would all have to agree to a pause for such a move to be effective.
    Mason Leath, ABC News, 11 June 2026
  • Rice’s election, by a 58%-42% margin, marks a likely continuation of the SBC’s move toward the right.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Xi’s reference to strengthening military exchanges with North Korea may signal a significant shift from its previous support of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, according to Lim.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
  • Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • If the council places the charter amendment on the November ballot and voters approve it, the shift likely wouldn’t come until after a new city attorney is named.
    Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2026
  • Over the past decades, a quiet cultural shift has redefined the standards of modern parenting.
    Nina Bandelj, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • The Broncos, which have an agreement to cover Denver Water’s relocation costs, agreed to provide most of the acreage necessary to replace the parts of its campus that the utility will move to the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood, on a property near East 40th Avenue and Clayton Street.
    Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
  • Rich relocation packages can help persuade recruits to move.
    Bloomberg, Oc Register, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Motion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motion. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

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