Meaning & use
small gestures
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Meaning
nounplural
Small acts of kindness or thoughtfulness that show you care about someone.
Grammar: Plural noun phrase; the singular is 'a small gesture'. It is often used with verbs like appreciate, mean, or make.
Patterns
- small gestures of something
- small gestures mean something
- appreciate small gestures
He always remembers my birthday, and I love these small gestures.
Small gestures like holding the door open can brighten someone's day.
Their relationship is built on small gestures of love and respect.
Word forms
| singular | small gesture |
|---|
Common combinations
- small gestures of kindness
- Small gestures of kindness can make a big difference.
- appreciate small gestures
- I really appreciate the small gestures you make.
- small gestures mean a lot
- To her, small gestures mean a lot.
- make small gestures
- He makes small gestures to show he cares.
Synonyms and how they differ
- little things
- This is more informal and general; it can refer to any small details, not only kind acts.
- kindnesses
- This is more formal and focuses on the quality of being kind rather than the action itself.
Opposites
Word family
Practice
Which sentence uses 'small gestures' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase 'small gestures of kindness' uses 'of' to show what the gestures express. Other prepositions do not fit this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “small gestures”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.