wave
wave — verb
1. to greet someone, call for their attention, or say farewell by lifting one hand
to greet someone, call for their attention, or say farewell by lifting one hand and moving it left and right in the air.
Vivek saw his friend at the station and waved to her from across the platform.
intransitive: wave + to + noun (greeting)
The children waved their hands excitedly when the ice-cream truck appeared around the corner.
transitive: wave + object (hands)
Hyun waved goodbye to his grandmother as her train pulled away from the station.
collocation: wave goodbye
A man on a balcony waved a white flag to show the building was safe.
Dewi waved at the taxi driver until he stopped at the curb.
- wave to
- wave at
- wave goodbye
- wave your hand
- wave a flag
- wave frantically
Grammar Patterns
wave + hand/arm (transitive)
wave + at/to + noun (intransitive)
wave + noun + direction adverb (e.g. wave someone over)
Usage Note
With wave of motion to + person when greeting, and wave at + person when trying to attract attention. Wave goodbye is a fixed expression used when someone is leaving. Can also take a direct object (wave your hand/arm/flag).
Common Mistakes
2. to gesture with your hand so that a person or vehicle moves closer, goes away, s
to gesture with your hand so that a person or vehicle moves closer, goes away, stops, or changes course.
The security guard waved the visitors through the metal detector one at a time.
wave + object + adverb: wave someone through
Felix waved the waiter over when he was ready to order his dinner.
wave + object + adverb: wave someone over
A police officer waved the cars away from the accident scene on the highway.
Talia's mother waved her into the kitchen to help with the birthday cake.
wave + object + adverb: wave someone in/into
The parking attendant waved us forward into an empty space near the entrance.
- wave someone over
- wave someone through
- wave someone away
- wave someone in
- wave traffic forward
- wave a car over
Grammar Patterns
wave + noun + adverb/preposition (e.g. wave someone over/in/through/away)
Usage Note
This sense requires a direction word after the object — over, in, through, away, forward, back — to specify where the person should go. Unlike sense 1, the object here is always a person or vehicle, never a hand or object.
Common Mistakes
3. to hold something and sway it to and fro, usually to attract notice, display it,
to hold something and sway it to and fro, usually to attract notice, display it, or communicate a message.
Selim waved the newspaper in the air to show everyone the front-page headline.
wave + object + in the air (for showing something)
The excited fans waved colourful flags above their heads throughout the match.
Élise waved the letter in frustration, trying to explain what the bank had written.
wave + object (for emphasis/expression)
Hikers waved bright orange sticks to signal their location to the rescue team.
The chef waved a spoon over the pot and declared the soup ready to serve.
- wave a flag
- wave a sign
- wave a letter
- wave a stick
- wave a weapon
- wave something in the air
Grammar Patterns
wave + noun (object you are holding)
wave + noun + around/about
Usage Note
The direct object is the item being held and moved — a flag, piece of paper, hand, or weapon. Often used with a location phrase (in the air, above their heads, over the pot) to show where or how the object is moved.
Common Mistakes
4. (of hair) to bend into loose, gentle curves instead of lying completely straight
(of hair) to bend into loose, gentle curves instead of lying completely straight.
Her hair waves naturally to her shoulders without any help from styling tools.
intransitive: hair + wave + adverb of location/degree
Christopher's hair waves slightly at the ends, giving his face a softer look.
The little girl's hair waved softly around her face as she ran through the garden.
After the rain, Felipe noticed his straight hair had begun to wave at the tips.
Diya's hair waves beautifully whenever she lets it dry without brushing it straight.
- hair waves
- waves naturally
- waves slightly
- waves to the shoulders
- hair waves gently
- straighten
to make hair lie flat without curves
Grammar Patterns
hair + wave(s) (usually used with adverbs or location)
Usage Note
Only used to describe hair. The subject is always hair or a specific head of hair. Often describes a natural hair pattern rather than a styled one. The opposite is straight hair.
Common Mistakes
wave — noun
1. A raised ridge of water that travels forward across an ocean or lake, rising and
A raised ridge of water that travels forward across an ocean or lake, rising and falling as a result of wind or movement in the water.
Tunde watched the tall waves crash against the rocks near the lighthouse.
collocation: tall waves / waves crash
The children ran back up the sand when a large wave rolled onto the beach.
Surfers waited for the perfect wave before paddling out into the cold water.
collocation: perfect wave
Waves can travel across the entire ocean before they reach the shore.
A huge wave knocked the boat sideways, soaking everyone on deck.
collocation: huge wave
- tall wave
- huge wave
- wave crashes
- wave breaks
- wave rolls
- rough waves
Grammar Patterns
wave + verb (crash, break, roll)
Usage Note
Often used with verbs describing movement: crash, break, roll, rise, and swell. The height of a wave is typically measured from trough to crest.
Common Mistakes
2. A greeting or signal made by holding up an open palm and moving it left and righ
A greeting or signal made by holding up an open palm and moving it left and right several times.
Amihan gave her grandmother a quick wave as the train pulled away from the station.
give + a wave
Christopher returned the wave of his neighbour, who was watering plants in the garden.
return + a wave
A wave from the lifeguard told swimmers it was safe to come ashore.
The mayor acknowledged the crowd with a friendly wave.
with + a + adjective + wave
Hamza spotted his friend across the busy street and gave her an excited wave.
- give a wave
- return a wave
- friendly wave
- quick wave
- excited wave
Grammar Patterns
give + a wave
return + a wave
with a wave
Usage Note
A wave is typically made with the palm facing outward and the hand moving side to side, not up and down. The gesture is used for both greeting and farewell in most cultures.
3. A rolling motion through a large crowd when people in each row stand, lift both
A rolling motion through a large crowd when people in each row stand, lift both hands overhead, and sit again in quick succession.
The football crowd started a wave that travelled around the whole stadium.
start + a wave
Lucía raised her arms when the wave reached her section of seats.
The stadium wave is common at baseball games in Japan and South Korea.
stadium wave (compound noun)
To join the wave, stand, lift your arms, then sit when your row's turn comes.
- do the wave
- start a wave
- stadium wave
- the wave travels
- the wave reaches
- Mexican wave
the same phenomenon, more common in British English usage
Grammar Patterns
do + the wave
start + a wave
Usage Note
Also known as the 'Mexican wave' in British English. This sense is almost always used in the singular and refers to the crowd phenomenon specifically at large spectator events.
4. A repeating pattern of movement that carries energy, such as light, sound, or he
A repeating pattern of movement that carries energy, such as light, sound, or heat, through air, water, or solid material without moving the material itself.
Radio waves carry signals from the broadcasting tower to radios in nearby homes.
radio wave (compound noun)
Light waves travel much faster than sound waves through air.
sound wave / light wave
The physics teacher showed how sound waves bounce off walls to create an echo.
Microwave ovens use short energy waves to heat food from the inside out.
Earthquake waves can travel through the ground and be detected by instruments far away.
earthquake wave
- sound wave
- light wave
- radio wave
- energy wave
- shock wave
- long wave
- short wave
- oscillation
a more technical term for a regular back-and-forth movement
- vibration
a rapid back-and-forth motion, especially through a solid or liquid
Grammar Patterns
sound + wave
light + wave
radio + wave
Usage Note
In physics, waves are classified as mechanical (sound, water) or electromagnetic (light, radio). The wavelength is the distance between two peaks of a wave.
Common Mistakes
5. A sudden large increase in the number of similar events, especially bad ones, oc
A sudden large increase in the number of similar events, especially bad ones, occurring within a short period.
The city struggled to respond to the sudden wave of burglaries that summer.
wave of [bad events]
A wave of flu hit the school, sending dozens of students home with fevers.
The government announced new measures to deal with the growing wave of cyber attacks.
Obi warned that a fresh wave of infections could overwhelm the hospital before the weekend.
wave of + noun (infections, protests, crimes)
Police reported a fresh wave of car thefts across the region last month.
fresh wave of + noun
- wave of crime
- wave of violence
- wave of protests
- wave of attacks
- fresh wave
- sudden wave
- growing wave
- decline
a gradual decrease in number or amount
Grammar Patterns
wave of + noun (crime, violence, protests, attacks)
Usage Note
Unlike sense 7 (a sudden strong feeling), this sense describes an increase in actual events or occurrences, not an internal emotional experience. Typically used with negative events such as crime, violence, disease, or protests.
Common Mistakes
6. A series of people or things of the same type that arrive, appear, or happen one
A series of people or things of the same type that arrive, appear, or happen one group after another, often with pauses in between.
The first wave of tourists arrived in March, followed by a second group in April.
first/second wave
A wave of job applications came in after the company posted the opening online.
a wave of + plural noun
The hospital prepared for another wave of patients as the winter storms continued.
Each wave of settlers brought new languages and customs to the island over the centuries.
each wave of + noun
Donations came in waves, with a big surge first and smaller amounts later.
in waves — in separate groups over time
- first wave
- second wave
- another wave
- fresh wave
- in waves
- wave of immigrants
- wave of refugees
- succession
a series of people or things coming one after another
- stream
a continuous flow of people or things, without the pause implied by 'wave'
Grammar Patterns
a wave of + noun
first/second wave
in waves
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 5 (SURGE): here the emphasis is on the pattern of arrival in successive groups, not on the unusually large number. 'In waves' is a common fixed phrase meaning 'in separate groups over a period of time'.
7. A sudden and powerful emotion, such as fear, anger, excitement, or relief, that
A sudden and powerful emotion, such as fear, anger, excitement, or relief, that rises quickly inside you and affects how you feel or act.
A wave of panic swept through Vinícius when he realised his phone was missing.
wave of + emotion noun (panic, relief, excitement, sadness)
Feeling a wave of relief, Élise closed the exam booklet after finishing the last question.
feeling a wave of + emotion
The news of her promotion sent a wave of excitement through the whole team.
sent a wave of + emotion through [group]
A wave of sadness came over Heather as she looked at the old photographs.
Karim felt a wave of anger rise inside him when he heard the unfair criticism.
- wave of panic
- wave of relief
- wave of excitement
- wave of sadness
- wave of anger
- wave of fear
- wave of guilt
- surge of emotion
- rush of adrenaline
Grammar Patterns
wave + of + emotion noun
Usage Note
Commonly followed by an emotion noun (panic, relief, excitement, sadness, anger, fear, guilt) connected by of. The verb collocates include sweep through, come over, wash over, feel, and send.
Common Mistakes
8. A soft bend or repeated bends along the length of someone's hair, producing a sh
A soft bend or repeated bends along the length of someone's hair, producing a shape that is between straight and tightly curled.
Zuri's hair has a natural wave that she likes to show off.
has a natural wave
The hairdresser used a curling iron to create soft waves in Mira's shoulder-length hair.
create soft waves
Ravindra's new haircut brought out the waves in his thick black hair.
Lan applied a special cream to define the waves in her shoulder-length hair.
define the waves — collocation for styling products
Christopher's hair lost its wave after he spent the day out in the rain.
- natural wave
- soft waves
- loose waves
- beach waves
- define the waves
- bring out the waves
- create waves
- lose its wave
- curl
tighter and more circular; a wave is looser than a curl
- undulation
more technical or literary; uncommon in everyday speech
- straightness
hair with no curves at all
Grammar Patterns
have + wave/waves
create + waves
Usage Note
As an uncountable noun (the wave in her hair) it refers to the overall texture. As a countable noun (waves in her hair) it refers to individual visible curves. The opposite texture is straight hair; a tighter version is curls.
9. A period of several days or weeks when the temperature stays much higher or lowe
A period of several days or weeks when the temperature stays much higher or lower than what is normal for that time of year and place.
A heat wave in July made it hard for the construction workers to stay outside.
heat wave + in [month]
The city opened emergency shelters during the cold wave that brought temperatures below zero.
cold wave — opposite of heat wave
Dario's family escaped the heat wave by spending a week at the beach.
Weather experts say this heat wave is the longest on record for this region.
Owen's garden was damaged by a cold wave that arrived late in the spring.
- heat wave
- cold wave
- record heat wave
- summer heat wave
- longest heat wave
- heat wave warning
Grammar Patterns
heat wave / cold wave
Usage Note
Heat wave is far more common in everyday use than cold wave (which is often replaced by cold snap or freeze). When used alone without hot or cold, wave in the weather sense is ambiguous and usually requires a modifier.
Common Mistakes
A time when someone is extremely successful or happy.
After winning the championship, the team was on the crest of a wave.
Maya felt she was riding the crest of a wave after her promotion.
make waves
idiomTo do things that get people's attention and sometimes cause trouble.
Diego didn't want to make waves, so he kept quiet.
The new manager made waves by changing the office rules.
To benefit from a popular trend or positive situation.
The company rode the wave of eco-friendly products to success.
Sara is riding a wave of popularity after her latest song.
Word family
- wavyadjectiveB1
- wavinessnounC1
- wavelengthnounB2
- waveformnounC1
- wavebandnounC1
- microwavenounB1
- waveletnounC2
- shockwavenounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Wave is the general term for any ridge of water moving across a surface, from small ripples on a pond to large storm-driven ocean waves. Swell refers to a long, smooth, unbroken wave formation that travels far from the wind that created it — surfers look for swells, not individual waves. Surge emphasises a single, powerful forward rush of water, often caused by a storm or tide rather than wind, and is less rhythmic than a wave. Ripple is a very small wave on the surface, typically formed by a light wind or a single disturbance like a pebble dropping into water. For learners: a surfer rides a wave (not a surge), a rising tide brings a storm surge (not a storm wave), and a boat crosses a calm sea with only ripples (not waves).
Common collocations
Nouns
- wave pattern
- wave energy
- wave action
- wave height
- wave motion
- wave power
Verbs
- ride a wave
- catch a wave
- create a wave
- send waves
- make waves
- cause a wave
Adjectives
- big wave
- tall wave
- huge wave
- gentle wave
- tidal wave
- seismic wave
- shock wave
- permanent wave
Prepositions
- wave of
- in waves
Etymology
From Middle English *wawe* (moving water, billow), tracing back through Old English *wǣg* and Proto-Germanic *wēgaz* (motion, wave), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-* (to move, carry, drag). The verb sense of moving the hand back and forth emerged in the 15th century. The physics meaning of energy transmission through a medium arose in the 17th–18th centuries alongside the scientific study of light and sound.