signaling

verb

variants or signalling
present participle of signal
as in motioning
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture signaled the oncoming traffic to stop while the wrecked car was being towed away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 signaling Human eyes don’t register the infrared portion of the light spectrum because infrared photons don’t carry enough energy to trigger the signaling pathway inside our light-sensing cells. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 Amazon provided an exclamation point in June by signing the largest lease the Atlanta area has seen so far this year, signaling that big warehouse users are once again willing to make moves. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 31 July 2026 However, that traditional signaling mechanism has now weakened. — Stefano Marrone, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 By Mark Gurman, Bloomberg Apple tumbled by the most in 16 months after component shortages weighed on the company’s sales forecast, signaling that industrywide supply constraints are taking a bigger toll than anticipated. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 About 6% of residents over 18 signed on, signalling, Rice said, that street safety is a popular issue. — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026 Microsoft popped 15% after signaling strong growth in its Azure business and lifting capital expenditures on robust demand. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 30 July 2026 Unfortunately, state lawmakers are already signaling their intention to eat up these gains by gifting new expensive pension benefit increases to influential public safety worker unions. — Zachary Christensen, Oc Register, 24 July 2026 Peptides are strings of amino acids - smaller than a protein - that often act as signaling molecules in our bodies and carry out many critical functions. — Will Stone, NPR, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for signaling
  1. motioning
  2. waving
  3. gesturing
Verb
  • Hamrick said to his companion, motioning to a spot short of the summit.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • In security footage obtained by ABC 13, the officer, alleged to be Carrico, is seen motioning the woman to take a seat; the woman complies.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of motioning
Verb
  • Sometimes therapists and family members join the party, and Kaye leads the festivities, waving a diploma up on the bench.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • The sight of the American president descending the long stairs from Air Force One, smiling and waving along the way, became a symbol of American diplomacy.
    — Peter Kastor, Fortune, 27 July 2026
Definition of waving
Verb
  • The novel also alludes to contemporary examples of violence in the country’s current, democratic system, gesturing to the ways in which brutality persists in Brazil as state and corporate power continue to commit violence with near impunity.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • Cole Hauser, who leads the show as Rip Wheeler, gave a recent interview gesturing at the difficulty the cast had making the first season.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 23 July 2026
Definition of gesturing

Browse Nearby Words

signalers
signaling
signalize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Signaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/signaling. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on signaling

Nglish: Translation of signaling for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All