Synonyms for

Wave

Verb / weɪv / Another word for wave — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

A wave is a long body of water that moves forward until it breaks on the shore or crashes into something.

Synonyms & similar words

waving flap flourish wafture wave undulate curl brandish undulation roll movingridge beckon surge ripple breaker crest curl foam swell undulation billow fluctuation sway whirlpool whitecap flux roll tide surgeon wavelet undertow

Synonyms by register

Formal

undulation surge swell

Informal

ripple wash lap

Literary

billow crest

Antonyms

stillness calm trough flatness peace stasis

Common collocations

  • wave goodbye
  • tidal wave
  • heat wave
  • wave hello
  • wave of emotion
  • wave energy
  • wave pattern
  • wave motion

Word family

noun wave
verb wave
adjective wavy

Usage note

As a verb, 'wave' can mean to move one's hand to signal, or to move in a rising and falling motion. Be mindful of context to distinguish between these meanings.

Example sentences

  1. I love to watch the waves crash on the shore.
  2. She waved to her mom as she left for school.
  3. The ocean was calm without any waves.
  4. He tried to surf the big wave but fell off his board.
  5. The boat rocked back and forth with the waves.

Quotes

  • You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf. - Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Life is a wave, which in no two consecutive moments of its existence is composed of the same particles. - John Tyndall
  • A wave isn't like a skate ramp or mountain; everything's moving around and you have to time how to move along with it. That's easier with a slow wave. - Kelly Slater

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