Body Language Vocabulary

adjective having the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward

adverb with hands on hips and elbows turned outward

• The soldier stood with his arms akimbo, ready for inspection.
• She always stands with her hands on her hips, akimbo.
• He was leaning against the wall with his legs akimbo.
• The tree branches reached out akimbo, creating a natural canopy.

noun a physical gesture of affection or comfort

• The two friends greeted each other with a warm bear hug.
• I gave my brother a big bear hug when I saw him after so long.
• He came running up to me and gave me a massive bear hug.
• The community came together in a figurative bear hug to support the family in need.

verb to assume a position with the limbs drawn up close to the body and the back rounded

• She likes to curl up with a good book on a rainy day.
• I just want to curl up on the couch and watch a movie.
• Let's curl up and chill together this weekend.
• The warmth of the fireplace made me want to curl up and relax.

noun a revealing or obvious clue

adjective clear or unmistakable

• The fingerprints found at the crime scene were a dead giveaway of the suspect's identity.
• Her nervous laughter was a dead giveaway that she was lying.
• His flashy gold chain was a dead giveaway that he was trying to impress someone.
• The dark clouds gathering in the sky were a dead giveaway that a storm was approaching.

adjective having long, narrow shallow trenches or grooves, typically as a result of worry or concentration

• The farmer furrowed the field in preparation for planting.
• She furrowed her brow in confusion.
• His brow was furrowed like he had just seen a ghost.
• The detective furrowed through the evidence to find the truth.

noun a person who stares openly at someone or something in a rude or stupid way

verb to stare openly and stupidly

adjective gawky - awkward or ungainly in appearance or movement

• The tourists couldn't help but gawk at the magnificent architecture of the cathedral.
• I caught my neighbors gawking at the new car in our driveway.
• Stop gawking at that celebrity, it's rude!
• She couldn't help but gawk at the stunning sunset, mesmerized by its beauty.

noun a person who looks guilty or ashamed

adjective having a guilty or shamefaced expression

• The employee approached his boss with a hangdog expression, ready to accept responsibility for the mistake.
• After losing the game, the player walked off the field with a hangdog look on his face.
• I could tell by his hangdog demeanor that he had messed up again.
• The politician's hangdog attitude did not inspire confidence in his ability to lead.

verb the action of expressing amusement or joy through laughter

• The professor was not amused, despite the students laughing at his joke.
• We spent the whole evening laughing at silly memes.
• She couldn't stop laughing at the ridiculous TikTok video.
• The painting seemed to be laughing at the viewers with its playful colors.

noun the act of directing one's gaze in a particular direction

verb to direct one's gaze towards someone or something

adjective describing something that appears visually appealing or attractive

adverb modifying a verb, indicating the manner in which the action of looking is performed

• Please take a closer look at the data before making any decisions.
• Hey, look at that cute puppy over there!
• Yo, look at this sick new skateboard trick I learned!
• When life gets tough, always remember to look for the silver lining.

verb A verb shows an action or a state of being. 'Outstretched' can also be used as a verb to describe the act of stretching something out.

adjective An adjective describes a noun or pronoun. 'Outstretched' describes something that is extended or stretched out.

• The performer stood on stage with her arms outstretched, ready to begin the show.
• He greeted his friends with a big smile and outstretched arms.
• She ran towards me with her arms outstretched for a hug.
• The outstretched hand of friendship was met with gratitude.

noun a facial expression that does not show any emotion, typically used in poker to deceive opponents

• She maintained a stoic poker face throughout the entire business negotiation.
• I can never tell if Sarah is bluffing or not because she always has her poker face on.
• I had my poker face on during the exam so the teacher wouldn't suspect I was cheating.
• Despite the chaos around her, she kept a poker face and remained calm and collected.

noun a lazy or drooping posture or movement

verb to stand, move, or sit in a lazy, drooping way

• It is important to maintain good posture and avoid slouching while sitting at your desk.
• Hey, stop slouching in your chair and sit up straight!
• Why do you always slouch like that? It makes you look lazy.
• She always seems to slouch under pressure, but somehow manages to come through in the end.

noun a smile expressing smugness or scorn

verb to smile in an irritatingly smug, conceited, or silly way

• He couldn't help but smirk at the clever solution presented during the meeting.
• When she saw her friend trip over the curb, she couldn't help but smirk.
• The student smirked when he saw his ex-girlfriend walk by with her new boyfriend.
• The villain's smirk revealed his evil intentions to the hero.

noun a persistent gaze or glare, especially in a challenging or intimidating way

verb to look fixedly or intently at someone or something, often as a way to intimidate or challenge

• The two competitors engaged in a tense stare down before the match began.
• I could feel the tension as they stared each other down across the room.
• They were really staring each other down, it was intense!
• She had to mentally prepare herself to stare down her fears and move forward.

noun a prolonged gaze or fixed look

verb to look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something

• She could feel the weight of his stare as she entered the room.
• Stop staring at me like that, it's making me uncomfortable.
• Why are you giving me the evil eye? Stop staring!
• The painting seemed to stare back at me, its eyes following me wherever I went.

verb to bend forward and downward

• The elderly man stooped to pick up his fallen cane.
• She stooped down to tie her shoelaces.
• I stooped to grab the last piece of pizza before anyone else could.
• His actions stooped to a new low when he resorted to cheating on the exam.

verb to release the clasp or hold of something

• She reached behind her back to unclasp the necklace that had been bothering her all evening.
• Can you help me unclasp this bracelet? I can't seem to do it myself.
• I struggled to unclasp the stubborn clasp on my watch.
• The detective was finally able to unclasp the mystery surrounding the missing jewelry.

noun a facial expression showing a lack of interest or understanding

• She greeted me with a blank stare, giving away no hint of her emotions.
• When I asked him about the project, he just gave me a blank stare.
• I told her the joke but all I got in return was a blank stare.
• The painting of the landscape seemed to be staring back at me with a blank stare.

noun the action or practice of presenting oneself in a way that is intended to impress or mislead others

verb to behave in a way that is intended to impress or mislead others

• The politician's posturing on the issue did not align with his previous statements.
• Stop posturing and just tell me what you really think.
• She's always posturing to impress others.
• The company's posturing in the market was seen as a sign of strength.