noun Uncommon

waving

WAY-vihng

Waving (noun) means the action of moving something, especially the hand or arm, back and forth as a greeting or signal. Example: “She caught his eye across the platform and gave a quick wave, waving until the train pulled away.”

noun

The action of moving something, especially the hand or arm, back and forth as a greeting or signal.

"She caught his eye across the platform and gave a quick wave, waving until the train pulled away."

"The crowd greeted the runners with cheering and waving all along the route."

The gentle back-and-forth motion of something loose or flexible, like hair, flags, or grass in the wind.

"The waving of the wheat field made the whole hillside look like it was breathing."

"He noticed the waving of the curtains before he even felt the draft."

How to use waving

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMoving something back and forth — usually a hand to say hello or goodbye, or something loose swaying in the wind.

Common pairings

waving goodbye waving a flag the waving of the trees

Word forms

wavings plural

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She caught his eye across the platform and gave a quick wave, _____ until the train pulled away.

Synonyms

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fluttering undulating

Related words

flap waved fluttering undulating flapping flutter

Rhymes for waving

having saving caving paving raving weaving shaving craving heaving slaving behaving engraving

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Frequently asked questions

What does “waving” mean?

The word “waving” means the action of moving something, especially the hand or arm, back and forth as a greeting or signal. In plain terms, moving something back and forth — usually a hand to say hello or goodbye, or something loose swaying in the wind.

How do you pronounce “waving”?

“Waving” is pronounced WAY-vihng (/ˈweɪvɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “waving” in a sentence?

Here is “waving” used in a sentence: “She caught his eye across the platform and gave a quick wave, waving until the train pulled away.”

What part of speech is “waving”?

“Waving” is a noun.

Is “waving” a common word?

“Waving” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “waving” have?

“Waving” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the action of moving something, especially the hand or arm, back and forth as a greeting or signal.

What is the difference between waving and waiving?

Waving refers to moving the hand or arm back and forth as a greeting or signal, or to something loose moving gently like flags or grass. Waiving means voluntarily giving up a right or claim; the two words are unrelated despite sounding alike.

Is waving used only to describe hand gestures?

No, waving can also describe the gentle back-and-forth motion of loose or flexible things such as hair, flags, or grass in the wind, not just a hand or arm greeting.

What is a common mistake with the word waving?

The most common mistake is confusing waving with waiving in writing, since the two words sound identical but have completely different meanings, one describing motion and the other describing giving up a right.

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