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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waving
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Drone shows use hundreds of small drones hooked up with LED lights to fly into the night sky and display moving images, like a waving American flag.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
One lady, standing up through the sunroof of a large car, was seen waving a massive flag above the vehicle.
—Keir Simmons, NBC news, 3 Jan. 2026
Two others joined her on the sidewalk, and the small group began writing their protest messages and waving them at passing cars.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 3 Jan. 2026
The footage, reminiscent of scenes from the sci-fi film I, Robot, shows rows of Walker S2 humanoid robots turning their heads, waving, and marching into shipping containers.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 Dec. 2025
Barron can be seen with her mother at one point, and at another point, waving to an audience.
—Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 25 Dec. 2025
Thick, undulating braids waving across the crown of her head and a swirled, slicked down baby curl, with finer braids fanning out like interconnecting halos.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Dec. 2025
In the picture, the famous momager posed with a red rose in her mouth and flashed a diamond bracelet while waving to the camera.
—Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
Noun
Males and females both wave their legs and the waving was not related to courtship or competition.
—Verb
Last week, Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro was on stage in front of his supporters, waving his hands and dancing, seemingly oblivious to the danger that awaited him.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for waving
Noun
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For insect-sized robots, the weight of a battery powerful enough to sustain continuous flapping often exceeds the robot’s own lifting capacity.—
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The man whom Navarro likes to call the Boss seems to value insincere, or bought, obeisance—the flapping and fussing of a maître d’—more than heartfelt fandom, which lacks the piquancy of humiliation.—
Verb
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The next play offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand called involved a couple of players motioning.—
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Virgin-Morgan then was motioning toward officials, but nothing was called by the crew.—
Noun
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And so too is his slightly flailing, vaguely desperate, going-for-it run, typified by his hair falling out of place and the sense that this man is fundamentally, for all his money and celebrity, some guy trying to get from one place to another.—
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Morant appears to be at odds with Memphis brass, and has already been suspended by his own flailing team once this season for appearing to question his head coach.—
Verb
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As two other agents rushed toward her window, gesturing at her and trying to open the vehicle’s door, Ross walked to the front of her vehicle.—
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The footage, posted initially to Marzilli's Instagram account @emgonewild, begins with the free-diving instructor and her friends in full dive gear, screaming and gesturing at each other on the water's surface with big smiles on their faces.—
Cite this Entry
“Waving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waving. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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