WAVING Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

waving 1 of 2

noun

as in flapping

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Dissimilar Words

waving

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wave

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

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 waving

Noun

Every September 11th, people assemble near Ground Zero for the tolling of a bell, the whispering of prayers, the offering of flowers, the waving of flags. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026 Similarly, the World Cup is a global phenomenon in which the waving of national colors reaches fever pitch. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026 Egypt has arrested and prosecuted gays and lesbians on the basis of vague indecency laws and has cracked down on any outward expressions of Pride, especially the waving of rainbow flags. — Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026 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 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

Verb

The stranger approached the store owner, a stout man waving a rattan fan lazily at his face while sitting at the till. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 Fortunately, her dad is used to making saves in front of 42,843 towel-waving fans. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Many of the details emerged in a rush shortly after the passengers, most of them Israeli, landed back home to cheers and waving flags. — Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026 In Caracas, hundreds of activists in sky blue shirts — the color of Machado’s Vente Venezuela party — rode motorcycles and drove through the capital’s main avenues, honking their horns and waving Venezuelan flags. — Clyburn Saint John, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026 In Paris, around 800,000 lined the Champs-Élysées avenue, some waving Vatican or French flags while others climbed trees or stood on each other’s shoulders to get a glimpse of the popemobile. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 In Lourdes, where believers say a famous Catholic shrine gushes with healing waters, streets were crowded with pilgrims waving flags and holding babies aloft as the pope passed in his popemobile. — Chris Livesay, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Crowds had gathered on the sidewalk across from the museum, many waving Chinese and American flags. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 Riot was seen looking up at the stage and waving back at his dad while Rihanna filmed the interaction. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waving

Noun

The speed of my spinning nunchucks wasn’t nearly as fearsome as the flapping of my upper arm flab.

— Johanna Stein, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Symmetrical wing flapping generates forward thrust, while differential wing motion provides steering for smooth, quiet indoor flight.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026

Definition of flapping

Verb

My parents use chopsticks, lifting their bowls and motioning the food into their mouths.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
The Giants ran a modified version of the tush push, with 300-pound fullback Pat Ricard motioning behind Dart to help the quarterback surge forward on his sneaks.

— Dan Duggan, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of motioning

Noun

Horgan remains a magnetic screen presence and a sharp comic writer, making Alex’s flailing ever enjoyable despite her aimlessness.

— Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Unai Emery’s penchant for rehabilitating flailing, once prodigious talents now extends to Alejandro Garnacho.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 30 July 2026

Definition of flailing

Verb

But jumping off the field throughout the game was enforcing linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who led the team with 12 tackles against his former club, gesturing and yelling at their sidelines throughout.

— Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026
And there, Guadagnino says, gesturing to a section covered by a red tarp, is where his team built the men’s bathrooms where some computer scientists have a pissing contest.

— E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026