gesture 1 of 2

1
as in sign
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

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2

gesture

2 of 2

verb

as in to motion
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

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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 gesture
Noun
On its face, this gesture is considerate and appropriate. R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 9 July 2025 These unexpected gestures show appreciation and deepen the relationship. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
In court, prosecutors said that Kemp was seen on Chicago police video stopping the car in the intersection of State and Monroe streets with the car’s rear tires in the crosswalk and gesturing from the driver’s side window toward the protest crowd and police officers. Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025 More recently, the field was revolutionized by the graphics deployed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign, whose upward-slanting type, coming out of the design firm Tandem, gestured to the tradition of revolutionary poster graphics. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gesture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture
Noun
  • If the interview starts to feel like a brainstorm, that's a great sign.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Schneider highlighted that early signs of AI use cases — such as driving corporate headcount reductions and greater sales — have emerged and created a path towards reinvestment into future growth.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • And not only does this travel-friendly projector cast a surprisingly sharp image, but the sound quality is excellent (courtesy of two five-watt Harman Kardon speakers), especially given the size of the projector.
    Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 8 July 2025
  • The royal family’s official website explains that there are no strict codes of conduct for meeting royals, only suggested traditional courtesies.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Harvey flared out of the backfield plenty in OTAs and minicamp, and could get motioned all over Payton’s offense in 2025.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 9 July 2025
  • Seeing nothing amiss, the sergeant took the forged pass and motioned for Calvin to go inside.
    Literary Hub July 8, Literary Hub, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • These micro-interactions are powerful signals of respect.
    London Business School, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Entrée was tantamount to a cosmic signal that one’s achievements — or notoriety — had resonated in the culture.
    Michael Grynbaum, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • He was waved home by third base coach Tim Leiper and was called safe before the call was overturned on replay review, ending the inning.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025
  • Marching bands played, flags and politicians waved, and thousands of people crowded the sidewalks along Biddle Avenue in Wyandotte for the 88th annual Independence Day Parade.
    Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • Members of the House will also debate a measure that could clarify the federal government’s regulatory posture toward crypto, as well as another bill that would prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing its own digital asset.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 14 July 2025
  • Despite its autonomous posture, Varda is not actually anti-human spaceflight.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • For may college football fans around, say, 25-45, EA’s NCAA Football franchise was a ritual every year.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • Grove Bags: Curing Without Compromise For most cultivators, curing is still a hands-on ritual.
    Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Eli Mintz, a Yiddish-theatre star, played Uncle David with a high, wheedling voice, his hands a blur of gesticulation, and the Goldberg children were portrayed by Gentile actors, including the endearing Arlene (Fuzzy) McQuade as the preteen Rosalie, a studious girl with a sleek bob.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • Musk also has a history of doing weird gesticulations on stage.
    James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

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Cite this Entry

“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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