motion 1 of 2

noun

ˈmō-shən How to pronounce motion (audio)
Definition of motionnext
as in movement
the act or an instance of changing position we were instructed not to make any sudden motions or we might scare away the deer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

motion

2 of 2

verb

as in to wave
to direct or notify by a movement or gesture the referee motioned the team captains to confer with him on the sideline

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 motion
Noun
Its forward motion carries it around Earth while gravity pulls it toward the planet. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026 An attorney who represents LaGrone had filed a motion to suppress the search of the home. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
Ripa then motioned to the other side, indicating that the hotel placed the tissue holder to the left of the toilet. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026 Audience jeers council’s I-77 decision Mayfield, who serves council at-large, motioned to keep Charlotte from changing its previous vote against the toll lanes. — Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for motion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motion
  1. movement
  2. wave
  3. shifting
  4. gesture
  5. move
  6. signal
  7. shift
  8. relocation
Noun
  • Elsewhere, long-running demonstrations in Albania and Serbia have focused more on anti-corruption, spiraling into movements seeking to topple each country’s government.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Young protestors answered with an insurrectionary energy in the summer and soon found support from a broader coalition comprised of opposition parties, social movements and other pillars of Indian civil society.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of movement
Verb
  • Before joining the postgame handshake line, Bidunga turned toward the KU student section in the south end zone, waved and blew a kiss goodbye to the same fans who had booed him during warmups, introductions and throughout the game.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • One notice was handed to Nasir Malik, a community activist in a New Delhi quarter called Mustafabad, who waved it around on a recent day.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of wave
Noun
  • Masterplan, though, will be exclusive to streaming—but Tucci seems comfortable shifting platforms when required.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Leaning into a new fragrance can be a meaningful way to mark the shifting of the seasons, and Belnu's two latest launches -- Still Bloom and Vanilla Bouclé -- offer two stunning scents to try this fall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of shifting
Verb
  • This is a subject far older than this Lean-In-era epiphany, yet New Stanford stops short at gesturing faintly in the direction of conversations that could theoretically be had.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Prescott then can be seen speaking to Cowboys security and gesturing toward the other man.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of gesture
Noun
  • Many hotels have abandoned single-use amenities, and the JW Marriott has followed that move by installing refillable shampoo and other containers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The effort to free Hubbard comes as Trump pressures Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make a deal with Putin by handing over territory that Russia has not been able to conquer, a move that the Ukrainians believe would amount to defeat.
    — Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of move
Verb
  • His coronation signaled where the genre was headed—away from the pleading old-guard types and toward a more fluid, hardcore hip-hop hybrid.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • These big-impact midterms have also shifted power in the statehouses, often signaling changes in state and national political landscapes that have mattered and lasted.
    — Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of signal
Noun
  • The shift comes shortly after the company went fully private this summer, with Saudi Arabia and private equity acquiring it alongside all its studios and properties.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Some of those lawmakers also want structural shifts in the country’s penal system, drawing inspiration from the mass-incarceration model of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, if Bolsonaro wins and wants to spend funds toward that end.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of shift
Noun
  • The researchers used Forbes billionaire rankings, real estate reports, and public relocation announcements.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • By spring, with the opportunity fading for a mass relocation of homes and businesses, optimism crept back into public discourse.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of relocation

Phrases Containing motion

Browse Nearby Words

motility
motion
motioned
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Cite this Entry

“Motion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motion. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on motion

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about motion

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