beckon
1 antonym for beckon — opposites grouped by meaning.
Verb — To signal someone, usually with the hand or a nod, to come closer.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To signal someone, usually with the hand or a nod, to come closer.
“The waiter beckoned us over to an empty table.”
2. verb
To seem inviting or attractive; to draw someone in.
“After months of work, a well-earned holiday was beckoning.”
Opposites
Antonyms
How to use beckon
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
beckon someone over
beckon to someone
adventure beckons
Etymology
From Old English bēacnian, "to signal," related to "beacon" — both come from a Germanic root meaning "sign" or "signal."
Full origin of beckon →Frequently asked questions
What does “beckon” mean?
The word “beckon” means to signal someone, usually with the hand or a nod, to come closer. In plain terms, to wave or nod at someone to get them to come over, or (more figuratively) to seem tempting.
How do you pronounce “beckon”?
“Beckon” is pronounced BEH-kuhn (/ˈbɛkən/ in IPA).
How do you use “beckon” in a sentence?
Here is “beckon” used in a sentence: “The waiter beckoned us over to an empty table.”
What part of speech is “beckon”?
“Beckon” is a verb.
Where does the word “beckon” come from?
The word “beckon” comes from Old English. From Old English bēacnian, "to signal," related to "beacon" — both come from a Germanic root meaning "sign" or "signal.".
How many meanings does “beckon” have?
“Beckon” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to signal someone, usually with the hand or a nod, to come closer.
