beckon

verb
UK: /ˈbekən/
US: /ˈbekən/

  1. To signal or summon someone with a hand gesture.

    1. She beckoned me closer to hear a secret [ ] [ ]
    2. The waiter beckoned us to an empty table near the window because we had no reservation [ ] [ ]

  2. To appear attractive or tempting; to lure or entice.

    1. The warm fire seemed to beckon me inside [ ] [ ]
    2. The opportunity to travel beckoned her, promising adventure and new experiences. [ ] [ ]

  3. To be likely to happen to somebody.

    1. Success beckons for those who work hard [ ] [ ]
    2. A bright future beckons if you continue to dedicate yourself to your studies and goals. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

signal lure entice wave invite gesture summon
beckon noun

  1. A summoning or encouraging gesture.

    1. With a beckon, he called the dog to his side [ ] [ ]
    2. She gave a slight beckon, signaling for the server to bring the check discreetly. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "beckon" in English means: To signal or summon someone with a hand gesture., To appear attractive or tempting; to lure or entice., To be likely to happen to somebody..

The phonetic transcription of "beckon" is /ˈbekən/ in British English and /ˈbekən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "beckon": signal, lure, entice, wave, invite, gesture, summon.

Example usage of "beckon": "She beckoned me closer to hear a secret". More examples on the page.