beckon
Americanverb (used with or without object)
-
beckons,
present (3rd person singular)
-
beckoned,
past participle, past
-
beckoning
present participle
noun
verb
-
to summon with a gesture of the hand or head
-
to entice or lure
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
beckonsimple
-
beckonssimple
-
have beckonedperfect
-
has beckonedperfect
-
am beckoningprogressive
-
are beckoningprogressive
-
is beckoningprogressive
-
have been beckoningperfect progressive
-
has been beckoningperfect progressive
Past
-
beckonedsimple
-
had beckonedperfect
-
was beckoningprogressive
-
were beckoningprogressive
-
had been beckoningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of beckon
before 950; Middle English beknen, Old English gebē ( a ) cnian, derivative of bēacen beacon
Explanation
To beckon is to use a physical gesture to call someone over to you. Universally recognized gestures used to beckon include crooking the finger or nodding the head to invite someone over. We get the word beckon from the Old English gebecnian, meaning "to make a mute sign," which comes from bēacen, meaning "a sign or beacon." (Remember that "beacon" is a noun while beckon is a verb). When you beckon to someone, you give them a physical sign to "come here." Figuratively, an ice cream sundae might beckon you, calling you away from your diet.
Vocabulary lists containing beckon
List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Treasure of Lemon Brown"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But head coach Sergej Jakirovic will be sitting out the Sin City jaunt as he takes a more peaceful breather before the bright lights of the Premier League beckon.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
Venice’s legendary five-star hotels beckon those with unlimited budgets, but we hadn’t come to one of the world’s great walking cities to stay inside a hotel room.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
Open the door to the theater, and discover a place of urban enchantment, where a red velvet door and crimson wallpaper beckon guests to come closer and sit inside.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026
The first of her nine Olympic gold medals came in the event at the 2012 London Games, and the 28-year-old shows no sign of relinquishing her grip as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics beckon.
From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026
Later they would beckon me to fetch fire or water for them, or to tell the women they wanted tea, and in those early months I was too busy running errands to follow their conversation.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Once the final track has been played, “F.I.G” beckons us to replay, revel in our emotions and dance once, maybe twice or thrice, more.
From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026
Overseas opportunity still beckons for the concert industry, even as Americans feel the sting of high inflation and demand shows signs of returning to earth from the postpandemic peak.
From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026
Now, 32 years on, another turning point beckons.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
Yet there are some invented dramatic devices, including a young girl who beckons Patrick on his conversion quest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
The woman beckons you over to the ticket booth.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Quintero beckoned to the master bedroom, Trujillo said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
After making his name in his native Denmark with the 1996 crime drama “Pusher” and its sequels, he was beckoned to America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Over time, he and his apostles took on various ideologies, dropping them for new ones as times changed and power beckoned.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
Rohl was given funds to bring in four players in January and Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland has already been lured from Hearts as a squad reshape beckoned in his first summer at the helm.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
He opened a door and beckoned her through.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
She said Holder initially fell asleep on her bed, but woke up and began beckoning Gemma, who was trying to sleep in the lounge.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
His exuberant prose engages all our senses, beckoning us, the way a flower would a curious bee, into a world of hidden wonders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Within minutes, fresh Payesh was served, beckoning everyone to the dining table with an unspoken yet unifying urge.
From Salon ● Jan. 10, 2026
They were 1-0 up against Bayern in Munich, with extra time beckoning until a 94th-minute Alphonso Davies aggregate winner.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025
Ripe red juicy apples, beckoning me to sink my teeth into them.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
