Word.ws English Dictionary

How to use gesture in a sentence

40 example sentences · noun, verb

Gesture means a motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech. Example: “The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.”

Examples of gesture by meaning

nounA motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.

  • The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.
  • Hand gestures are also essential to Belter communication, as they evolved from the days of wearing space suits with poor comms during the early settler days.2016 January 15, Bryan Enk, “Belter Creole 101”, in SYFY

nounAn act or a remark that serves as a formality or as a sign of attitude.

  • We took flowers as a gesture of sympathy.
  • But, with a gesture, she put a period to this dalliance—one shouldn't palter so on an empty stomach, she might almost have said.1922, Michael Arlen, “2/4/1”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days

nounA motion made with a pointing device, or on a touchscreen, that is recognised by the system as a command.

  • This Web browser can be controlled with mouse gestures.

verbTo make a gesture or gestures.

  • My dad told me never to gesture with my hands when I talk.
  • Never gesture at someone using your middle finger: it may be perceived as an insult.

verbTo express (something) by a gesture or gestures.

  • He gestured his disgust.

verbTo express or signal (to someone) by a gesture or gestures (to do something, go somewhere, etc).

  • Was that an idle boast?” He sighed and gestured her to sit down.2010 November 1, Elizabeth Chadwick, Elizabeth Chadwick Bundle: The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, and For the King's Favor...
  • She nodded and gestured, telling him to lead the way.2021 May 1, Bruce Allsman, The Museum Curator, Bruce Yeoh

More sentences with gesture

  • Although I don't speak Chinese, I managed to talk with the villagers using signs and gestures.From the entry talk
  • With a discreet gesture, she reminded him to mind his manners.From the entry discreet
  • His two-fingered gesture emphasized what he had told his boss to do with his job.From the entry emphasize
  • Her voice was barely perceptible over the noise, but her gestures made her meaning clear.From the entry perceptible
  • After 5 days studying the script, Jane is now off book, and can concentrate on gesture more.From the entry off book
  • With his dramatic mannerisms and gestures, the actor really made the role his own.From the entry make one's own
  • Preparing dinner is a thoughtful gesture for a new mother.From the entry thoughtful
  • He gestured unbelievably. Everyone knew he was faking his illness.From the entry unbelievably
  • He raised his hand with a deprecating gesture.From the entry deprecating
  • We have an in-joke; whenever someone sings a wrong note, they wipe the mistake off their music with an obvious gesture.From the entry in-joke
  • Making appeasatory gestures she tried to calm the children.From the entry appeasatory
  • "This way, please," he said with an usherly gesture.From the entry usherly
  • It was a sentimental gesture that one can only call Lynchian.2025 January 16, J. Hoberman, “David Lynch Dead: ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’ Director Was 78”, in The New York Times, →ISSN. From the entry eldritch
  • This is a subtle and harmless gesture of consideration that can still be practiced today.2025 September 8, E. J. Daniels, “How to Walk Like a Gentleman”, in Gentleman's Gazette. From the entry chivalric
  • Colleagues complained that Mr Raab’s “physical gestures” were used in a threatening way.2023 April 22, Nina Lloyd, “Allegations against Dominic Raab that sent him to backbenches”, in The Independent, London: Independent News &…. From the entry finger-pointing
  • He made a gesture that incorporated the compost heap, the polytunnels, and the potting bench.2023, Eleanor Catton, Birnam Wood, page 24. From the entry polytunnel
  • One of them, a calico whose half-grown kittens he just fed, slow-blinks at him, an affectionate gesture.2022, N. K. Jemisin, The World We Make, Orbit, page 111. From the entry calico
  • Francine leans down and her body tenses, shoulders reddening as she makes a sharp, punchy gesture.2021, Chandler Baker, The Husbands. From the entry punchy
  • But his eloquence was the very definition of a gesture both too little and too late.2021 January 7, “Trump Is to Blame for Capitol Attack”, in The New York Times, →ISSN. From the entry sow the wind, reap the whirlwind
  • Dodd gestured to one of the club chairs arranged in front of his desk.2021, Ed Tarkington, The Fortunate Ones, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, page 22. From the entry club chair
  • He pulls out my chair and gestures for me to sit down.2021 May 4, Tashie Bhuiyan, “T-Minus 10 Days”, in Counting Down with You, Toronto, Ont.: Inkyard Press, →ISBN, part 3 (Inferno). From the entry bone apple teeth
  • Yeah, true.” Paige mimicked the gesture, even though her straight brown hair had zero floofiness.2020, Matthew S. Cox, Dr. Infinity and the Soul Smasher (The Adventures of Übergirl; 4), Division Zero Press, →ISBN. From the entry floofiness
  • Anyway, no firearms when we got here.” He gestured to Kellen.2019 September 17, Christina Dodd, Strangers She Knows, HQN Books, →ISBN. From the entry groaty
  • "And this is my vassal Mahk the Orcess," I gestured towards my imposing pet.2018, Quinn Dallas, The Shadow of the Rogue: The Rogue's Gambit, Northern Sky Press, page 69. From the entry orcess
  • Gestures ranged from pursed lips to clenched fists and finger pointing.2016 February 7, Nick Clark, “Manual Labours: The Complaining Body: Exhibition explores the fine arts of moaning and listening”, in The…. From the entry finger pointing
  • A fling gesture can overscroll the content, before returning the content to the correct position.2015, Matthew Leibowitz, Xamarin Mobile Development for Android Cookbook, page 302. From the entry overscroll
  • Similarly, different gestures can be used for the same goal: slapping the ground and bodybeating for play.2014, Vyvyan Evans, The Language Myth: Why Language Is Not an Instinct, page 38. From the entry bodybeat
  • Repin, with nicely coordinated gestures and phrasings, was enjoyable to watch.2013 August 18, Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, “Unloading the Weightiness of Brahms With a Few Flicks”, in The New York Times, →ISSN. From the entry sprezzatura
  • Kalipada Das adopts Harold Lloyd's use of overanimated gestures and acrobatic body movement.2013, Babli Sinha, Cinema, Transnationalism, and Colonial India: Entertaining the Raj. From the entry overanimate
  • There are several of them touring out there,” broadly gesturing with her arm.2012, Bill Thomas, Upstage, Downstage, Cross: An Actor Emerges in Early English 20th Century Theatre, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 155. From the entry melo

Meaning of gesture

  1. noun A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.
  2. noun An act or a remark that serves as a formality or as a sign of attitude.
  3. noun A motion made with a pointing device, or on a touchscreen, that is recognised by the system as a command.

Full definition of gesture

Questions about gesture in a sentence

How do you use gesture in a sentence?
Gesture is used as a noun and verb. For example: “The middle-finger gesture is really a nonverbal swear.”
What is a short sentence with gesture?
“He gestured his disgust.”
What does gesture mean?
Gesture means a motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: gesture (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “How to use gesture in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/gesture. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.