List of Active Verbs

A

• Achieve: To successfully reach a desired objective or result.
• Acquire: To obtain possession of something.
• Adapt: To modify or adjust to new conditions.
• Advise: To offer recommendations about a course of action.
• Analyze: To examine methodically for purposes of explanation and interpretation.
• Apply: To put into operation or practice.
• Arrange: To organize or make plans.
• Assess: To evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality.
• Assist: To give help or support.
• Augment: To increase or make larger.
• Allocate: To distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose.
• Alter: To change or modify.
• Assemble: To gather together in one place.
• Assert: To state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.
• Attain: To achieve or accomplish.
• Authorize: To give official permission for.
• Automate: To convert a process to be operated by machines.

B

• Balance: To keep or put in a steady position.
• Build: To construct by putting parts together.
• Budget: To plan the use of resources or finances.
• Boost: To increase or enhance.
• Bolster: To support or strengthen.
• Break: To cause to separate into pieces.
• Brief: To inform or summarize in a short format.
• Broaden: To expand or widen.
• Buy: To acquire in exchange for payment.
• Blend: To mix together.
• Benchmark: To evaluate by comparison with a standard.
• Bridge: To connect or bring together.
• Broadcast: To transmit information or programs.
• Broach: To raise a sensitive or difficult subject for discussion.
• Bypass: To avoid an obstacle or problem.

C

• Calculate: To determine mathematically.
• Capture: To take possession or control of.
• Collaborate: To work jointly with others.
• Communicate: To share or exchange information.
• Compare: To note similarities and differences.
• Compile: To assemble information collected from various sources.
• Complete: To finish making or doing.
• Conduct: To lead or guide.
• Consolidate: To combine into a single, more effective whole.
• Create: To bring something into existence.
• Cultivate: To foster the growth of.
• Customize: To modify according to specific needs.
• Coordinate: To bring different elements into a harmonious operation.
• Clarify: To make clear or understandable.
• Classify: To arrange in categories.

D

• Decide: To make a choice or judgment.
• Deliver: To bring and hand over to the intended recipient.
• Demonstrate: To show clearly and deliberately.
• Design: To create according to a plan.
• Develop: To grow or cause to grow and become more mature.
• Direct: To manage or govern.
• Discover: To find unexpectedly or during a search.
• Document: To record in written form.
• Draft: To prepare a preliminary version.
• Drive: To operate and control the direction and speed.
• Delegate: To assign responsibility to another.
• Devise: To plan or invent.
• Diagnose: To identify the nature of a problem.
• Differentiate: To recognize or ascertain what makes something different.
• Distribute: To give shares of something.

E

• Earn: To receive as return for effort or services.
• Edit: To prepare written material for publication.
• Educate: To give intellectual, moral, and social instruction.
• Emphasize: To give special importance or prominence.
• Enable: To give the means to do something.
• Engage: To occupy, attract, or involve.
• Enhance: To intensify, increase, or further improve the quality.
• Ensure: To make certain that something will occur.
• Establish: To set up on a firm or permanent basis.
• Evaluate: To determine or assess the value.
• Examine: To inspect thoroughly.
• Execute: To carry out a plan or order.
• Expand: To increase in size or scope.
• Explain: To make something clear by describing it in more detail.
• Explore: To investigate or study thoroughly.
• Extend: To increase the length or duration of.

F

• Facilitate: To make an action or process easier.
• Focus: To concentrate attention or effort.
• Forecast: To predict a future condition.
• Form: To bring together parts or combine to create.
• Frame: To formulate or articulate.
• Fulfill: To complete or bring to realization.
• Fund: To provide financial resources.
• Fuse: To join or blend to form a single entity.
• Foster: To encourage the development of.
• Follow: To come after in sequence.
• Formulate: To create or devise methodically.
• Facilitate: To make a process easier.
• File: To submit for record or consideration.
• Finance: To provide funding for.
• Forecast: To predict or estimate a future event.

G

• Generate: To cause something to arise or come about.
• Guide: To direct or influence the course of action.
• Gather: To collect from various sources.
• Gauge: To measure precisely.
• Grow: To increase in size, number, or importance.
• Guarantee: To provide a formal assurance.
• Govern: To conduct the policy, actions, and affairs.
• Grasp: To seize and hold firmly.
• Glean: To extract information from various sources.
• Grant: To agree to give or allow.
• Graph: To plot or chart data.
• Groom: To prepare for a particular purpose.
• Generate: To produce or create.
• Group: To arrange into a group.
• Guide: To show the way.

H

• Handle: To manage a situation or problem.
• Harmonize: To bring into agreement.
• Harness: To control and make use of.
• Hasten: To cause something to happen sooner.
• Heighten: To increase or make more intense.
• Highlight: To emphasize the importance of.
• Hire: To employ someone for wages.
• Host: To organize and hold an event.
• Hone: To refine or perfect over time.
• Help: To make it easier for someone to do something.
• Hypothesize: To propose an explanation.
• Halt: To bring to a stop.
• Handle: To deal with or manage.
• Hatch: To plan or devise.
• Head: To lead or be in charge of.

I

• Identify: To recognize and name.
• Implement: To put a decision or plan into effect.
• Improve: To make better.
• Increase: To become or make greater in size.
• Influence: To have an effect on the character or behavior.
• Initiate: To cause to begin.
• Inspect: To look closely at something.
• Install: To place in position for use.
• Integrate: To combine to form a whole.
• Interpret: To explain the meaning of.
• Innovate: To introduce new methods or ideas.
• Investigate: To carry out a systematic inquiry.
• Illustrate: To explain with examples or pictures.
• Include: To comprise as part of a whole.
• Incorporate: To take in as part of a whole.

J

• Judge: To form an opinion or conclusion.
• Justify: To show or prove to be right or reasonable.
• Juggle: To handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Join: To connect or bring together.
• Jumpstart: To initiate or restart quickly.
• Jot: To write briefly or hurriedly.
• Journey: To travel from one place to another.
• Juggle: To manage multiple activities at once.
• Jazz: To enliven or make more interesting.
• Jab: To poke or thrust abruptly.
• Jostle: To push or elbow roughly.
• Jest: To joke or make fun.
• Jam: To squeeze or pack tightly.
• Joke: To say something amusing.
• Jingle: To make a light ringing sound.

K

• Keep: To retain possession of.
• Kickstart: To provide an impetus to begin.
• Know: To be aware of through observation or information.
• Knit: To join together closely.
• Knock: To strike a surface noisily.
• Key: To highlight or emphasize importance.
• Knead: To work and press into a uniform mixture.
• Kindle: To ignite or inspire.
• Kick: To strike with the foot.
• Kneel: To be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by the knees.
• Kiss: To touch with the lips as a sign of affection.
• Kneel: To go down on one's knee.
• Knit: To make fabric by interlocking loops of yarn.
• Knock: To hit something with a sharp blow.
• Know: To be aware of information.

L

• Launch: To start or set in motion.
• Lead: To guide or direct.
• Learn: To gain or acquire knowledge.
• Leverage: To use for advantage.
• Link: To make a connection.
• Locate: To find or discover the position of.
• Log: To enter in a record.
• Look: To direct one's gaze.
• Listen: To give attention with the ear.
• Liaise: To communicate and establish working relationships.
• Lift: To raise to a higher position.
• List: To make a written or printed record.
• Light: To make something visible or bright.
• Lead: To be in charge of.
• Lobby: To seek to influence a politician on an issue.

M

• Manage: To be in charge of.
• Measure: To ascertain the size, amount, or degree.
• Mentor: To advise or train.
• Merge: To combine or blend into one.
• Monitor: To observe and check.
• Motivate: To provide with a reason to act.
• Maximize: To increase to the greatest possible amount.
• Maintain: To keep in existence or continuance.
• Map: To plan in detail.
• Market: To promote and sell products or services.
• Model: To create a representation.
• Moderate: To preside over a discussion.
• Mediate: To intervene to resolve a dispute.
• Measure: To determine the size, amount, or degree.
• Mobilize: To prepare and organize.

N

• Navigate: To plan and direct the course.
• Negotiate: To discuss to reach an agreement.
• Note: To observe carefully.
• Nurture: To care for and encourage growth.
• Name: To identify by title.
• Nominate: To propose or formally enter as a candidate.
• Notice: To become aware of.
• Network: To interact with others to exchange information.
• Notify: To inform.
• Number: To assign numbers to.
• Negate: To nullify or make ineffective.
• Narrow: To reduce in width.
• Narrate: To tell a story or describe events.
• Nudge: To prod gently.
• Navigate: To plan a route.

O

• Observe: To watch carefully.
• Obtain: To acquire through effort.
• Offer: To present or proffer.
• Optimize: To make the best use of.
• Organize: To arrange systematically.
• Outline: To give a summary.
• Oversee: To supervise.
• Operate: To control the functioning of.
• Outsource: To obtain goods or services from an external source.
• Order: To arrange or command.
• Orchestrate: To arrange or direct the elements of a situation.
• Originate: To begin or create.
• Overcome: To succeed in dealing with a problem.
• Observe: To watch attentively.
• Open: To make available or accessible.

P

• Plan: To decide on and arrange in advance.
• Produce: To create or manufacture.
• Promote: To support or actively encourage.
• Propose: To put forward for consideration.
• Provide: To supply or make available.
• Prepare: To make ready for use.
• Perform: To carry out an action or task.
• Prioritize: To arrange in order of importance.
• Publish: To prepare and issue for public distribution.
• Present: To show or offer.
• Protect: To keep safe from harm.
• Predict: To forecast future events.
• Process: To handle according to established procedure.
• Persuade: To convince someone to do something.
• Persist: To continue steadfastly.

Q

• Qualify: To meet the required standards.
• Quantify: To express as a number.
• Question: To ask for information.
• Quote: To repeat or copy out.
• Quell: To put an end to.
• Quicken: To make faster.
• Quiet: To make silent or calm.
• Quench: To satisfy or extinguish.
• Queue: To line up.
• Qualify: To limit or modify.
• Query: To ask a question.
• Quit: To stop doing something.
• Quarantine: To impose isolation.
• Quest: To search for something.
• Quip: To make a witty remark.

R

• Reach: To arrive at.
• Recommend: To suggest as a course of action.
• Reduce: To make smaller.
• Refine: To improve by making small changes.
• Register: To record or enroll.
• Reinforce: To strengthen.
• Relate: To show connection.
• Resolve: To find a solution.
• Respond: To reply.
• Review: To assess.
• Revise: To alter to improve.
• Report: To give an account of.
• Reconcile: To restore friendly relations.
• Research: To investigate systematically.
• Rebuild: To build again.

S

• Schedule: To arrange for a time.
• Secure: To make safe.
• Select: To choose.
• Simplify: To make easier.
• Specify: To identify clearly.
• Streamline: To improve efficiency.
• Submit: To present for consideration.
• Support: To bear all or part of the weight.
• Sustain: To strengthen or support.
• Survey: To look at comprehensively.
• Supervise: To oversee.
• Solve: To find an answer to.
• Structure: To arrange in a systematic way.
• Summarize: To give a brief statement.
• Surpass: To exceed.

T

• Target: To aim at.
• Test: To assess performance.
• Train: To teach skills.
• Transform: To change completely.
• Translate: To express in another language.
• Transmit: To send from one place to another.
• Travel: To make a journey.
• Troubleshoot: To solve problems.
• Track: To follow progress.
• Terminate: To bring to an end.
• Team: To come together as a team.
• Tailor: To adapt for a particular purpose.
• Tap: To draw from.
• Transact: To conduct business.
• Transition: To change from one state to another.

U

• Understand: To grasp the meaning.
• Upgrade: To raise to a higher standard.
• Unify: To make or become united.
• Utilize: To make practical use of.
• Undertake: To commit to.
• Update: To make current.
• Uncover: To reveal.
• Unlock: To open or release.
• Urge: To strongly recommend.
• Use: To employ for a purpose.
• Unveil: To reveal.
• Upsell: To persuade to buy more.
• Uplift: To raise in spirits.
• Undertake: To commit to a task.
• Unleash: To release.

V

• Validate: To confirm the validity.
• Verify: To make sure or demonstrate accuracy.
• Visualize: To form a mental image.
• Visit: To go see.
• Value: To estimate the worth.
• Venture: To undertake a risky journey.
• Volunteer: To offer help.
• Voice: To express.
• View: To look at.
• Vary: To differ.
• Vet: To evaluate thoroughly.
• View: To inspect.
• Vibrate: To move rapidly back and forth.
• Vote: To express a choice.
• Verify: To confirm accuracy.

W

• Work: To perform tasks.
• Win: To achieve victory.
• Write: To compose text.
• Watch: To look at attentively.
• Witness: To see an event.
• Weigh: To assess the weight.
• Welcome: To greet hospitably.
• Warn: To notify of danger.
• Widen: To make wider.
• Withdraw: To take back.
• Wish: To desire.
• Win: To achieve success.
• Wield: To handle effectively.
• Withstand: To resist.
• Woo: To seek favor.

X

• Xerox: To make a photocopy.
• X-ray: To examine with X-rays.

Y

• Yield: To produce or provide.
• Yarn: To tell a long story.
• Yearn: To have a strong desire.
• Yoke: To join together.
• Yank: To pull with a jerk.
• Yodel: To sing in a wavering voice.
• Yawn: To open the mouth wide.
• Yellow: To make or become yellow.
• Yip: To bark sharply.
• Yank: To pull forcefully.
• Yowl: To make a loud wailing cry.
• Yank: To remove abruptly.
• Year: To long for.
• Yelp: To utter a sharp cry.
• Yield: To give way to.

Z

• Zap: To destroy or obliterate.
• Zoom: To move quickly.
• Zero: To adjust precisely.
• Zip: To fasten with a zipper.
• Zest: To enhance flavor.
• Zone: To divide into sections.
• Zeal: To show great energy or enthusiasm.
• Zigzag: To move in sharp angles.
• Zinc: To coat with zinc.
• Zonk: To exhaust or tire out.
• Zap: To attack or destroy.
• Zero: To aim or focus.
• Zip: To move rapidly.
• Zest: To add liveliness.
• Zigzag: To proceed in sharp turns.

Related Articles

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• List of modal verbs