beckon
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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beckons,
present (3rd person singular)
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beckoned,
past participle, past
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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
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beckonssimple
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have beckonedperfect
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has beckonedperfect
-
am beckoningprogressive
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are beckoningprogressive
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is beckoningprogressive
-
have been beckoningperfect progressive
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has been beckoningperfect progressive
Past
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beckonedsimple
-
had beckonedperfect
-
was beckoningprogressive
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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
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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:
Adds Miyashita: "These puzzles beckon our curiosity. After all, spiral forms in nature have inspired human creations ranging from rotini pasta, to a barber's pole or even portrayals of the biblical 'Tower of Babel'."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026
But after the theatre and drama of Monday, the hard questions for the Labour Party and for Burnham beckon.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
In one area of the two-story cafe, restaurant and bar, constellations beckon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2026
The mountains beckon to me not only because I find them beautiful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
He liked the word beckon; he would have said, “Adventure beckons,” and would have gone off to prowl around the ship.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Another day of danger beckons for this battered European metropolis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
The question that beckons beyond the conference hall – can that carry on if hard times hit?
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
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
Marco beckons her forward, leading her to the adjoining room.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
“Michael Collins,” my dad beckoned, addressing me by my first and middle name he loved so well and alone always used, “tell us something you’ve learned in school.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
A 1968 advertisement published in The Times beckoned investors to purchase their own two-acre lake for less than $12,000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 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
She beckoned the longma, spoke to it, and offered it some meat from a bag she wore on her hip.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
Every time I open TikTok lately, I’m inundated with Kalshi ads beckoning me to bet on “Dancing with the Stars.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
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
Who is the spooky, smiling woman beckoning to a young girl at the edge of her garden?
From Los Angeles Times ● 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
The balustrades are dark wood, and the twisted inlays remind me of crooked fingers, beckoning.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
