as in flapping
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as in motioning
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture
waved them over to the side of the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waving
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
In front of the Idaho State Capitol steps on Saturday morning, the street was lined with people waving American flags as historic military vehicles and military personnel both current and former made their way through downtown.
—Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2025
At the end of the ad, an AI Santa Claus is seen waving with a bottle of the soft drink in his right hand as the animals wave back and cheer.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Observations show the disk of our galaxy is not flat but warped and waving.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2025
Polls are beginning to report early results with Sheffield in the lead by 75% and Kinloch at 24%, though Kinloch’s supporters are enthusiastically calling for his win and waving fans with his campaign slogan.
—Dana Afana, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
And maybe Tesoro was a little lax on childproofing, like waving off putting a railing on the temporary stairwell between the first and second floor.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2025
The epicenter of Los Angeles effectively shut down for several hours as the parade wove through the sea of fans bleeding Dodger blue with the Boys in Blue riding atop double-decker buses with friends and family, while waving to fans and holding the Commissioner’s Trophy.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Hawks might whip up enthusiasm by waving a bloody shirt or recalling a stab in the back.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
Males and females both wave their legs and the waving was not related to courtship or competition.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
In the picture, the famous momager posed with a red rose in her mouth and flashed a diamond bracelet while waving to the camera.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
In front of the Idaho State Capitol steps on Saturday morning, the street was lined with people waving American flags as historic military vehicles and military personnel both current and former made their way through downtown.
—Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2025
At the end of the ad, an AI Santa Claus is seen waving with a bottle of the soft drink in his right hand as the animals wave back and cheer.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Observations show the disk of our galaxy is not flat but warped and waving.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2025
Polls are beginning to report early results with Sheffield in the lead by 75% and Kinloch at 24%, though Kinloch’s supporters are enthusiastically calling for his win and waving fans with his campaign slogan.
—Dana Afana, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
And maybe Tesoro was a little lax on childproofing, like waving off putting a railing on the temporary stairwell between the first and second floor.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2025
The epicenter of Los Angeles effectively shut down for several hours as the parade wove through the sea of fans bleeding Dodger blue with the Boys in Blue riding atop double-decker buses with friends and family, while waving to fans and holding the Commissioner’s Trophy.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Hawks might whip up enthusiasm by waving a bloody shirt or recalling a stab in the back.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waving
Noun
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Wind-tunnel measurements revealed that the FSF motion delivers higher lift coefficients and better head-up pitching moments compared with simple flapping.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Sep. 2025
-
When the wing flapping became incessant, the DNR team knew the eagles were just about ready.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Before motioning for the resolution to be adopted, District 14 Ald.—
April Quevedo,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Palvin, who revealed before the show that the nerves still get to her, seemed at times disappointed in the crowd's reaction, motioning upward with her hands, expecting more applause.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon called a timeout with five seconds remaining and Jackie Young flailing — wanting to ensure that the Aces got the final shot of the game — and Hammon put the ball in her MVP’s hands.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Clark, who knelt beside Foo 30 years ago when the surfer was pulled lifeless from the sea, watched Slebir’s epic ride that day from the back of a Sea-Doo, set up to pull flailing surfers aboard.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Meet Elias Parker, my mother told me, gesturing to the man with the pearl-button shirt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Some of Dawson’s frustrations boiled over in the fourth quarter Saturday, as ESPN cameras caught him yelling and gesturing toward coach Mario Cristobal after the run by Brown.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waving. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.
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