Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hand waving

American  
Also hand-waving,

noun

  1. insubstantial words, arguments, gestures, or actions used in an attempt to explain or persuade.


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:

When the Atlantic, the Post and the Times announced their opposition, Hegseth replied with an emoji of a hand waving goodbye.

From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2025

When Wolves equalised, Monteiro was about to bring on striker Hwang Hee-chan, but after some hand waving in Pereira's direction, the decision was changed.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2025

“Some people think that conducting is just a combination of hand waving and keeping the beat,” says Mr. Choi.

From NewsForKids.net ● Jul. 6, 2023

As the car approaches, a white mark appears to move across the body’s torso, which social media users claimed showed its hand waving.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2022

Her parents were there, and he nearly broke into laughter at how excited Hishaam seemed, his hand waving back and forth frantically.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com