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Synonyms

beckon

American  
[bek-uhn] / ˈbɛk ən /

verb (used with or without object)

  1. to signal, summon, or direct by a gesture of the head or hand.

    Synonyms:
    nod, bid, gesture, wave, motion

  2. to lure; entice.

    Synonyms:
    beguile, allure, tantalize, tempt, coax, draw, attract, invite

noun

  1. a nod, gesture, etc., that signals, directs, summons, indicates agreement, or the like.

beckon British  
/ ˈbɛkən /

verb

  1. to summon with a gesture of the hand or head

  2. to entice or lure

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a summoning gesture

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • beckoner noun
  • beckoning adjective
  • beckoningly adverb
  • unbeckoned adjective

Etymology

Origin of beckon

before 950; Middle English beknen, Old English gebē ( a ) cnian, derivative of bēacen beacon

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.

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

The crypto surged past $100,000 in December 2024, on the expectation that the incoming administration would create a friendly regulatory environment and beckon in a so-called crypto golden age.

From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025

One hundred feet into the square, Café Iruña’s terrace and vapors of freshly brewed coffee beckon.

From Salon • Nov. 8, 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

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.