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
as in courtesy
an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners
sent a handwritten thank-you note as a gesture of his gratitude
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gesture
Kevin Williams, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2025
Still, many fans considered the network's gesture too late at that point.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025
Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
The key to the show’s appeal is Rosenthal’s interviewing style, which keeps him present in the conversation rather than gesturing toward its eventual audience; in other words, his interest appears genuine rather than performative.
—Marnie Shure, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gesture 
Noun
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., July 27, 2024.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2025
Still, many fans considered the network's gesture too late at that point.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
Passengers’ video showed that at one point during the roughly six-minute hold, Neely tapped an onlooker’s leg and gestured to him.
—Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
The key to the show’s appeal is Rosenthal’s interviewing style, which keeps him present in the conversation rather than gesturing toward its eventual audience; in other words, his interest appears genuine rather than performative.
—Marnie Shure, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gesture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gesture
Noun
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Police have said there was no sign of an intrusion or evidence of murder in his home.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
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This is another sign the plant’s roots are overcrowded and need more room to grow.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Screenshot courtesy of Brenda Stolyar via Apple Intelligence Power up with unlimited access to WIRED.—
Brenda Stolyar,
WIRED,
20 Jan. 2025
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Things are looking up right now, though. — Stats and research courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference, Evolving Hockey and Stathead (Photo of Auston Matthews: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images) Jonas Siegel is a staff writer on the Maple Leafs for The Athletic.—
Jonas Siegel,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Daniels motioned him from the backfield to a fullback position.—
Ted Nguyen,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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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
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There's no snow in the seven-day forecast, and the NWS's Climate Prediction Center doesn't have any clear signals about what might happen the rest of the winter.—
Nick Halter,
Axios,
16 Jan. 2025
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Unlike standard heart rate reading in watches, Garmin’s ECG feature assesses the electrical signals running through your body to determine your sinus rhythm.—
Andrew Williams,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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To avoid straining your muscles from bad posture, try sitting and standing straight and keeping all your joints at a 90-degree angle.—
Kelly Burch,
Verywell Health,
15 Jan. 2025
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Trump is a proven supporter of Israel and is expected to take an assertive posture to conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and Iran as further evidenced by his initial appointments to key administration posts.—
Doug Friednash,
The Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Musk also has a history of doing weird gesticulations on stage.—
James Hibberd,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Sep. 2019
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As the bit continued, Gardner increased her wildly gesticulation and rising-and-bobbing out of her chair.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
2 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near gesture
Cite this Entry
“Gesture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gesture. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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