beckon

verb

beck·​on ˈbe-kᵊn How to pronounce beckon (audio)
beckoned; beckoning
Synonyms of beckon

intransitive verb

1
: to summon or signal typically with a wave or nod
My master beckons.
He … beckoned to the other generals to come and stand where he stood.—H. E. Scudder
2
: to appear inviting : attract
the frontier beckons

transitive verb

: to beckon to
beckoned us over to their table
beckon noun

Synonyms of beckon

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Examples of beckon in a Sentence

She was beckoning them in to shore. She beckoned the waiter to come over. She beckoned to the waiter to come over. From the time he was a child, the wilderness beckoned to him. The nature preserve beckons bird-watchers, who visit from around the world.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Half were male in aura, squatting with their long lenses and beckoning confidence, always ready to pontificate, and the other half were female, a demure box into which a slide could be slipped, bringing the room to life. — Literary Hub, 12 Oct. 2026 The unlikely pair build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, as opposing futures beckon. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026 For those eager for a closer look, there are a variety of hiking trails beckoning for further exploration. — Kevin Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2026 For someone whose energetic stomp through Lagos helped introduce her to much of the internet, nerves still arrived when the Chanel runway beckoned. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beckon

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bekenen, bikenen, becknien, becknyn, going back to Old English bēcnan, bīcnan, bīcnian, bēacnian "to make a mute gesture to, summon, symbolize, portend, reveal," going back to West Germanic *bauhnjan- or *bauhnōjan- (whence also Old Saxon bōknian "to portend, give as a token," Old High German bouhhanen, bouhnen "to give a sign or token, signify"), weak verb derivatives of *baukn- "sign, signal" — more at beacon entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of beckon was before the 12th century

Rhymes for beckon

See All Rhymes for beckon

Browse Nearby Words

Beckmesser
beckon
beckoning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beckon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beckon. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

beckon

verb
beck·​on ˈbek-ən How to pronounce beckon (audio)
beckoned; beckoning
ˈbek- (ə-)niŋ
1
: to call or signal to a person usually by a wave or nod
they beckoned us to come over
2
: to appear inviting
new adventures were beckoning
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