NODDING Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

nodding 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnä-diŋ

Definition of nodding

as in bowing

bending downward or forward some students, with nodding heads, were helplessly falling asleep during the boring lecture

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nodding

2 of 2

verb

present participle of nod

as in bobbing

to make short up-and-down movements though she couldn't see the rain, she knew it had started because she could see the flowers nod as raindrops hit them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nodding

Adjective

James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head. — Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021

Verb

When the Kirk family attorney spoke about how Charlie Kirk stood for the opposite of hate, Erika Kirk was crying and nodding along. — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026 For a drink that leans more directly into its surroundings, the Olivera Mallorquina combines Suau, a gin distilled on the island, with an olive lemonade nodding to one of Mallorca's signature crops. — Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Agave, corn, and jamaica (hibiscus) flavor the house coffees, teas, and other drinks, nodding to heritage flavors. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 Interiors are a fresh take on classic British West Indies elegance, nodding to the overall aesthetic of Little Palm’s past but re-interpreting it as tropical chic of the present. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026 The set included an Air Jordan 11 and an Air Jordan 6, nodding to Jordan’s 1991 and 1996 championship wins. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026 The name Adelaide has royal roots as well, nodding to Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026 Everybody was locked in, and the guys were nodding their heads and stuff. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2026 The vibe is very Woodstock-era, got-to-get-back-to-the-garden innocence, a sentiment that has the filmmaker, now in his mid-seventies, nodding in agreement. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nodding

Adjective

And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.

— David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.

— Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021

Definition of weeping

Verb

But the calm day gave way to terror when her uncle again looked out into the ocean and saw Summer’s head bobbing in and out of the water.

— Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
And when the sun is shining, that also means the water’s sparkling, sailboats are bobbing, and seagulls are cawing.

— Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of bobbing

Verb

That afternoon, the president, inside the exposition’s ornate Temple of Music, greeted members of the public, shaking hands and warmly inviting them to explore the fair.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
The handcuffs were taken off, and he was allowed to board, shaking with shock.

— Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of shaking

Verb

Developed at the University of Sharjah’s Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering (RISE), this HyperFuel series could slash carbon footprints while pumping octane ratings up to 102.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
Other festival highlights include a giant pumpkin regatta, glass making workshop, grape stomping competition, pumping carving, a youth makers market, crafts, face painting and bumper boats.

— Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of pumping

Browse Nearby Words

noddies

nodding

nodding off

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Style

“Nodding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nodding. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of nodding

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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