gesture
noun
ges·ture
| \ ˈjes-chər
, ˈjesh-\
, ˈjesh-\
Definition of gesture
(Entry 1 of 2)
2
: a movement usually of the body or limbs that expresses or emphasizes an idea, sentiment, or attitude
raised his hand overhead in a gesture of triumph
3
: the use of motions of the limbs or body as a means of expression
4
: something said or done by way of formality or courtesy, as a symbol or token, or for its effect on the attitudes of others
a political gesture to draw popular support— V. L. Parrington
gesture
verb
gestured;
gesturing
Definition of gesture (Entry 2 of 2)
: to make a gesture (see gesture entry 1 sense 2)
: to express or direct by a gesture (see gesture entry 1 sense 2)
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Synonyms for gesture
Synonyms: Noun
gesticulation, mime, pantomime, sign, signal
Synonyms: Verb
beckon, flag, motion, signal, wave
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Examples of gesture in a Sentence
Noun
Specific gestures can indicate particular moods. His arm was raised in a gesture of defiance.Verb
She gestured towards the fireplace. He gestured at his audience. The room was filled with angry people shouting and gesturing. He gestured to his partner to leave.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Now, with Android 10, that back button has been replaced with a side-swipe gesture, which is sometimes confusing. — Wired, "Android 10 Has Arrived. Here’s What to Expect," 3 Sep. 2019 Inspired by the Black Panthers, the Shakers and other utopian movements, Ayofemi felt that small, everyday gestures — a free breakfast, a working chair — can hold a lot of power. — Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, "What if a black artist reimagined urban development for Oakland’s black community? Binta Ayofemi is," 29 Aug. 2019 There are no showboating gestures here, only a bone-deep commitment to showing us the lives of individuals often relegated to the cinematic sidelines, to the extent that the movies even notice them all. — Los Angeles Times, "Review: ‘Give Me Liberty’ is a brilliant madcap farce on wheels," 29 Aug. 2019 Kaepernick’s kneeling gesture, in which he was joined by dozens of other NFL players, raised thorny questions about the intersection of sports, politics and militarism. — SI.com, "A History of Football in 100 Objects," 28 Aug. 2019 Prohibited conduct includes profanity, cursing, making offensive comments or gestures, pushing, spitting, flashing of body parts, and other offensive conduct. — Patrick May, The Mercury News, "Yes, water park etiquette is a thing: Brawl over towel at Northern California park raises questions about rules," 27 Aug. 2019 Even private, spontaneous gestures of kindness must be squelched. — Astra Taylor, The New Republic, "One for All," 26 Aug. 2019 The dancers, in genderless bodysuits, scraggly wigs and witch-nosed masks, bang on a conference table, voicelessly debating with emphatic gestures, and leaps and kicks onto and over the table. — Lauren Warnecke, chicagotribune.com, "SummerDance Celebration was a perfect day in the park, plus a plea for Chicagoans to see more dance indoors this fall," 24 Aug. 2019 That gesture, a veteran Spanish-language TV reporter told me, helped legitimize Spanish-language media in the city. — Graciela Mochkofsky, The New Yorker, "The Vital Importance of Learning to See Latinos in Trump’s America," 10 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
When asked where those people go, Mr Clark gestures to an elderly black man who has just shuffled into the hallway dragging a suitcase. — The Economist, "New research probes eviction’s causes and consequences," 24 Aug. 2019 Harris gestured to the underside of the equipment, where another, much quieter world opens up. — Lila Seidman, Glendale News-Press, "Shane’s Inspiration playground, designed for children of all cognitive, physical abilities, opens in Glendale," 20 Aug. 2019 Lewis then gestured to the robber, and both of them left the store, the video showed. — Evan Macdonald, cleveland.com, "Cleveland man charged in robbery where accomplice fired shots at East Side deli," 15 Aug. 2019 As an upset Walker removed his helmet and walked toward first, Guerrero gestured at the Diamondbacks dugout and exchanged words, resulting in the bench clearings. — sun-sentinel.com, "Jordan Yamamoto gives up grand slam, two more runs as Marlins fall to Diamondbacks," 28 July 2019 Zeke had gestured to the broom closet in the back of his bicycle store, which Mira had entered in search of a bike pump for the boys. — Dalia Rosenfeld, chicagotribune.com, "2019 Algren Awards: Finalist: If You Will Not Shave This Rabbit, He Will Get Stoned," 20 July 2019 Dana Loesch, a conservative gun-rights advocate and radio host, gestured at Warren in a tweet. — Ashley Fetters, The Atlantic, "Kyle Kashuv Becomes a Symbol to Conservatives Who Say the Left Can’t Forgive," 18 June 2019 Sean Morrow, commander of the U.N. Security Battalion, gave Trump a briefing about the area and the security situation, gesturing toward the distance. — NBC News, "Trump meets Kim Jong Un, becomes first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korea," 30 June 2019 After the ball smacked off his leg, the Reds outfielder slammed his helmet on the ground, dropped his bat, gestured toward Strop, shouted something and started toward the mound. — Tom Schad, USA TODAY, "Cubs pitcher calls Yasiel Puig 'stupid as (expletive)' following benches-clearing incident," 29 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gesture.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for gesture
gesture
noun
English Language Learners Definition of gesture
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a movement of your body (especially of your hands and arms) that shows or emphasizes an idea or a feeling
: something said or done to show a particular feeling or attitude
gesture
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of gesture (Entry 2 of 2)
: to make a gesture : to move your hands, arms, etc., to express an idea or feeling
See the full definition for gesture in the English Language Learners Dictionary
gesture
noun
ges·ture
| \ ˈjes-chər
\
\
Kids Definition of gesture
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a movement of the body (as the hands and arms) that expresses an idea or a feeling
… Tutok rose and made a gesture of farewell.— Scott O'Dell, Island of the Blue Dolphins
2
: something said or done that shows a particular feeling
He invited her in a gesture of friendship.