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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waving
Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 14 May 2026
It also has been roiled by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, stirring protests outside the venues and forcing organizers to clamp down on political flag-waving.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
But the flag-waving takes on a different meaning in his tweet, making Sosa part of the propaganda machine.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The flag-waving, the face paint, the pugnacious songs, the banners, the bellicose taunts at the opponents, the arms flung out in unison foster a collective spirit that can turn violent at times.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Flag waving, immigration restriction, and culture-war rallying cries can shore up the MAGA-tech coalition, but more will be needed to achieve lasting success.
—Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026
Assuming whatever creature birthed from a spider egg was also a shapeshifter would even allow the show to bring back everyone’s favorite dancing clown in a modern-day context without too much hand-waving.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Some 65,000 fans reveling in SDFC’s six goals scored and vibing off the supporter groups’ chants, drum-banging and flag-waving.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Males and females both wave their legs and the waving was not related to courtship or competition.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Her mother, Tamara Reed-Holman — who qualified for state in four events for Decatur McArthur in 1990 and ran for Illinois State — was in the crowd at O’Brien Field in Charleston waving back.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Detainees inside could at times be seen waving to protestors from Delaney Hall's windows.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Along the journey, sidewalks were lined with people waving American flags and saluting the motorcade.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
With so many from the sport’s most recent golden generation bowing out over the last few years, waving off another star has felt almost routine.
—Ava Wallace, New York Times, 25 May 2026
By now the acquaintances had seen them and walked in, waving cheerfully.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
This year, soca star Voice — who had Carnival crowds jumping and waving throughout the 2026 circuit — will make his festival debut.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
In an interview with the Observer, Page acknowledged that the department’s initial claim that Manigault came into the store waving a gun was not correct.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Noun
With his own future still unconfirmed, Guardiola could be seen pumping his fists in celebration when Rayan Cherki slipped in the third goal and, after the final whistle, there was a victory walk around the pitch and a lot of affectionate waving and kiss-blowing.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 14 May 2026
It also has been roiled by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, stirring protests outside the venues and forcing organizers to clamp down on political flag-waving.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
But the flag-waving takes on a different meaning in his tweet, making Sosa part of the propaganda machine.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The flag-waving, the face paint, the pugnacious songs, the banners, the bellicose taunts at the opponents, the arms flung out in unison foster a collective spirit that can turn violent at times.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Flag waving, immigration restriction, and culture-war rallying cries can shore up the MAGA-tech coalition, but more will be needed to achieve lasting success.
—Walter Russell Mead, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2026
Assuming whatever creature birthed from a spider egg was also a shapeshifter would even allow the show to bring back everyone’s favorite dancing clown in a modern-day context without too much hand-waving.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Some 65,000 fans reveling in SDFC’s six goals scored and vibing off the supporter groups’ chants, drum-banging and flag-waving.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
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
Or maybe the big beach at Laguna after waving to The Greeter, with an hour during the late afternoon to browse the Pottery Shack with Mom.
—Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Her mother, Tamara Reed-Holman — who qualified for state in four events for Decatur McArthur in 1990 and ran for Illinois State — was in the crowd at O’Brien Field in Charleston waving back.
—Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Detainees inside could at times be seen waving to protestors from Delaney Hall's windows.
—ABC News, 28 May 2026
Along the journey, sidewalks were lined with people waving American flags and saluting the motorcade.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026
With so many from the sport’s most recent golden generation bowing out over the last few years, waving off another star has felt almost routine.
—Ava Wallace, New York Times, 25 May 2026
By now the acquaintances had seen them and walked in, waving cheerfully.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
This year, soca star Voice — who had Carnival crowds jumping and waving throughout the 2026 circuit — will make his festival debut.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
In an interview with the Observer, Page acknowledged that the department’s initial claim that Manigault came into the store waving a gun was not correct.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waving
Noun
-
Nearly two months old, the birds spend much of their days hopping, flapping, stomping and testing out their wings, a recent Facebook post from Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that operates their live cam, says.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
-
With the skin flapping, his words, not mine, the medical staff went full MacGyver on Buckberger.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anunoby was having another strong game Wednesday before appearing to suffer a leg injury and motioning to come out of the game.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
-
Anunoby was having another strong game Wednesday before appearing to suffer a leg injury and motioning to come out of the game.—
CBS New York Team,
CBS News,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
For all his bobbing and flailing, and sensitive shaping of the music, conductor Christian Capocaccia evinced little attention to singers.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But his role was not to fix a flailing business, but, rather, to keep a roaring flame alive.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
4 Mar. 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
-
Many of today’s most prominent artists are focused on rendering vast, abstract, and often invisible systems perceptible—often by scaling them down to something more sensible while still gesturing toward their magnitude.—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waving. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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