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
What else could John have expected (though Lin speculates as to the gesture that triggered it)? Peter Debruge, Variety, 28 Jan. 2025 The weepy confessions are, ostensibly, gestures toward intimacy. Maytal Eyal, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
The suspect gestured his gun to the cash register and an employee walked to the front, the video showed. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 11 Jan. 2025 All gait gestures video demonstration Overall, the system’s accuracy in identifying the gait gestures was an impressive 92%. New Atlas, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for gesture 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture
Noun
  • Hundreds of people showed up to help with the search, covering the area surrounding Kesse’s home — but there was still no sign of her.
    Alex Gurley, People.com, 23 Jan. 2025
  • There was little sign of chaos now, but Al-Rahy still seemed ill at ease.
    Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • As a consequence, courtesy of semiotics, twentieth-century Mannerism became an explicit critique of precedent, which classical Mannerism had always been—without saying so.
    Mario Carpo, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
  • Others in the Reddit thread shared their own experiences of passengers disregarding basic courtesy and crew instructions.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Daniels motioned him from the backfield to a fullback position.
    Ted Nguyen, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • As the crowd of protesters surged forward, some pushing against a police barricade that blocked them from Pastor Terry Jones, O'Reilly motioned with his hands for the crowd to move back, pleading with them to keep the peace.
    Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The first tests, conducted about two decades ago, linked a range of possible topologies to signals that might have been spotted in astronomical data.
    Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 27 Jan. 2025
  • One of Arn’s few friends and one of the other rare older men still working on logging crews is Billy (John Diehl), whose diminishing faculties are a signal to Robert to put down his saw for good.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Hicks walked around the Rotunda for several minutes, court documents said, unfurling and waving a flag and talking to and fist-bumping other rioters.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Winker arrived in Queens last summer with a colorful history with Mets fans, having waved to the Citi Field crowd after a game-ending catch in 2019, and then again after a game-tying three-run home run in 2022.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Despite his refusal to back down in his campaign to win over the Egyptian and Jordanian leaders, Trump’s friendly tone on the subject denotes a much less forceful posture compared to his treatment of Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
    Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Popular on Variety Craig Sweeny’s screenplay strikes a frequently arch posture to accommodate this trickster protagonist, which undermines any pretense of seriousness elsewhere.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 25 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Belize is home to hundreds of caverns where Mayan priests once held rituals to petition the gods for rain or a successful harvest.
    Gina DeCaprio Vercesi, Travel + Leisure, 23 Jan. 2025
  • According to the report, Kelly shared an initial email with Williams in August 2019 from a 17-year-old lifeguard’s parents detailing drug use, misogynistic harassment and hazing rituals among Oak Street Beach lifeguards.
    Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Musk also has a history of doing weird gesticulations on stage.
    James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • As the bit continued, Gardner increased her wildly gesticulation and rising-and-bobbing out of her chair.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.

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