arm waving
Flailing for attention
Arm waving is emphatic gesturing, often to attract attention or express excitement.
More critically, it describes arguments or explanations that substitute theatrical enthusiasm for substance—lots of motion, little content: His presentation was mostly arm waving with no real data.
The term suggests someone trying to distract from weak reasoning through animated delivery.
- gesturingMoving limbs expressively
- hand gesturesExpressive motions of fingers
- flailingUncontrolled limb movement
- signalingConveying information nonverbally
- franticWildly anxious or desperate
frenzied · wild · dramatic · emphatic · hands · air quotes · gesticulation · body language · flagging · flag down · beckoning · semaphore · theatrical · jazz hands · over the top · grand gestures · animated · expressive
- repetitive motionsswaying, rocking, bobbing, swinging, bouncing
- dominance displaysdisplay, alpha behavior, power stance, chest puffing, baring teeth
- primate signalsvocalizations, gestures, calls, facial expressions, hoots
- street dancebreaking, breakdancing, b-boying, popping, locking
arm wavingunderstatement
Intentional diminishment for effect
restraint · subtlety · nuance · deadpan · poker face
arm wavingstillness
Complete lack of motion
standing still · motionlessness · composure · sitting quietly · hands folded
arm, arms, armed, arming, armless, unarmed, wave, waves, waved