What are you doing? Do you often get asked this question? What do you say? Do you know the right action words that describe what you are doing? Learn what action words are and how they can be used in sentences in this article.
Table of Contents
- What are Action Words?
- How to Use an Action Word in a Sentence?
- Commonly Used Action Words in English
- Action Words in the Alphabetical Order
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘A’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘B’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘C’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘D’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘E’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘F’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘G’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘H’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘I’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘J’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘K’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘L’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘M’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘N’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘O’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘P’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘Q’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘R’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘S’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘T’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘U’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘V’
- Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘W’
- Frequently Asked Questions on Action Words in the English Language
What are Action Words?
Action words include those words that are used to express an action that is done by the subject. In most cases, an action word marks its appearance right next to the subject.
According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, the term ‘action’ is defined as “the process of doing something in order to make something happen or to deal with a situation.” So, in simple terms, a word that is used to describe the action done by the subject is called an action word.
To help you attain a deeper understanding of the action words in the English language, go through the following list of the most commonly used action words in everyday language.
How to Use an Action Word in a Sentence?
Has it ever occurred to you that action words are verbs? Well, they are verbs and using them in sentences should be easy if you have already learned how to conjugate a verb according to the various tense forms and the given context. All verbs are not action words, but the usage is the same. Take a look at the following examples to have an in-depth look at how they behave when used in sentences.
Examples:
- Santhosh closed the door.
- Ann painted a picture of her great grandfather.
- The baby clapped as she heard the little cocktail singing “If you are happy and you know it”.
- The lawyer advised me to keep all the required documents ready for verification so that there would not be any sort of confusion.
- My brother crawled onto the sofa and sat there as if nothing had happened.
Commonly Used Action Words in English
Are you struggling to comprehend what action words are? Here is a list of the most commonly used action words in the English language. By going through these words, you can easily differentiate action words from the wide range of vocabulary that keeps getting updated every other day.
| Ride | Sit down | Win | Drink | Knit |
| Stand | Throw | Close | Open | Skip |
| Sleep | Cut | Eat | Cook | Sip |
| Fight | Play | Give | Dig | Bath |
| Laugh | Dance | Climb | Talk | Ski |
| Read | Wash | Crawl | Wait | Dive |
| Fly | Turn off | Fall | Snore | Bow |
| Listen | Sing | Dream | Watch | Buy |
| Cry | Write | Clap | Sew | Stack |
| Think | Jump | Knit | Paint | Shake |
Action Words in the Alphabetical Order
There are numerous words in the English language that can be used to describe an action that is done by a performer or a group of people that act as the subject in a sentence. A comprehensive list of action words arranged in the alphabetical order is given below for your reference. Go through it and learn as many words as possible to improve your vocabulary.
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘A’
| Accelerate | Advised | Assess | Abominate |
| Accomplish | Advocate | Assist | Abort |
| Accuse | Analyse | Attain | Abscond |
| Achieve | Apply | Audit | Absorb |
| Acquire | Appoint | Author | Abstain |
| Adapt | Arbitrate | Authorise | Abuse |
| Adopt | Architect | Abandon | Accept |
| Address | Arrange | Abhor | Acclaim |
| Administer | Ascertain | Abide | Accommodate |
| Advance | Assemble | Abolish | Accompany |
| Accomplish | Accumulate | Acknowledge | Act |
| Activate | Address | Admire | Advance |
| Advertise | Advice | Affirm | Affix |
| Agree | Aim | Alienate | Admire |
| Act | Advance | Affix | Access |
| Advance | Agree | Affirm | Assemble |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘B’
| Balance | Bark | Bend | Backfire |
| Bill | Beautify | Bid | Bake |
| Brief | Beg | Blackmail | Ball |
| Budget | Behave | Blame | Banish |
| Built | Baptise | Banter | Bring |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘C’
| Calculate | Collaborate | Conceptualise | Correct |
| Capture | Collect | Conclude | Criticise |
| Carry | Command | Coordinate | Claim |
| Catalogue | Communicate | Conserve | Comb |
| Champion | Compare | Consolidate | Cry |
| Chart | Compel | Conduct | Customise |
| Clarify | Compile | Consult | Call |
| Classify | Complete | Continue | Camp |
| Close | Compute | Contract | Care |
| Coach | Conceive | Convert | Chase |
| Challenge | Charge | Carve | Check |
| Cheat | Cheer | Construct | Colour |
| Curve | Create | Clear | Crush |
| Cycle | Counsel | Confess | Clap |
| Count | Confuse | Craft | Crawl |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘D’
| Define | Devise | Draft | Delete |
| Delegate | Direct | Drive | Deny |
| Deliver | Discover | Damage | Depend |
| Demonstrate | Dispense | Dance | Describe |
| Deploy | Display | Deal | Detect |
| Design | Distribute | Dare | Diagnose |
| Detail | Diversify | Declare | Differentiate |
| Detect | Divert | Dedicate | Dig |
| Determine | Document | Defeat | Direct |
| Develop | Double | Defend | Disclose |
| Disappear | Disagree | Discuss | Divide |
| Donate | Drag | Drain | Draw |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘E’
| Earn | Endure | Examine | Enter |
| Edit | Energise | Exceed | Entertain |
| Educate | Enforce | Execute | Enjoy |
| Effect | Engineer | Exhibit | Escape |
| Elect | Enhance | Expand | Exercise |
| Eliminate | Enlist | Expedite | Expand |
| Emphasise | Ensure | Experiment | Expect |
| Enable | Establish | Export | Explode |
| Enact | Estimate | Empty | Extend |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘F’
| Facilitate | Formalise | Face | Film |
| Familiarise | Form | Fail | Finish |
| Finalise | Formulate | Fetch | Fire |
| Finance | Foster | File | Fit |
| Forge | Found | Fill | Fix |
| Flap | Flash | Fold | Follow |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘G’
| Generate | Guard | Grab | Grasp |
| Govern | Gain | Greet | Gather |
| Graduate | Gift | Groan | Glorify |
| Guide | Guide | Grant | Gamble |
| Garnish | Gasp | Gaze | Grind |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘H’
| Halt | Hypothesis | Hang | Help |
| Harness | Hammer | Haunt | Hug |
| Head | Hand | Hatch | Hunt |
| Hire | Handle | Harm | Hurry |
| Honour | Hang | Heal | Hail |
| Harvest | Heave | Hypnotise | Heed |
| Hop | Hinder | Hoard | Hoist |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘I’
| Identify | Illtreat | Import | Institute |
| Idealise | Illuminate | Improve | Instruct |
| Idolise | Illustrate | Improvise | Integrate |
| Ignite | Imagine | Increase | Intensify |
| Ignore | Implement | Influence | Install |
| Inspect | Insert | Inform | Introduce |
| Insinuate | Inspire | Initiate | Insist |
| Instill | Interview | Innovate | Invent |
| Implant | Interpret | Imitate | Impress |
| Impoverish | Inhabit | Infect | Imprison |
| Impose | Imprint | Investigate | Indicate |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘J’
| Jab | Jerk | Juggle | Judge |
| Jabber | Jiggle | Judge | Jump |
| Jail | Jingle | Join | Justify |
| Jangle | Jitter | Jolt | Juxtapose |
| Jostle | Jounce | Join | Jog |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘K’
| Keep | Knit | Kick |
| Kneel | Kayak | Knock |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘L’
| Launch | Listen | Lament | Launder |
| Lecture | Locate | Laminate | Look |
| Lead | Laugh | Lodge | Launch |
| License | Love | Leave | Learn |
| Levitate | Lengthen | Lift | List |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘M’
| Maintain | Market | Modify | Mentor |
| Manage | Master | Monitor | Model |
| Manipulate | Measure | Motivate | Magnify |
| Map | Mediate | Meditate | Mantle |
| Mend | Migrate | Marry | Marinate |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘N’
| Navigate | Nominate | Narrate | Neutralise |
| Negotiate | Notify | Navigate | Normalise |
| Nominate | Nourish | Neglect | Notice |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘O’
| Observe | Operate | Overcome | Open |
| Obtain | Orchestrate | Originate | Overhaul |
| Offer | Organise | Outsource | Oversee |
| Officiate | Orient | Obey | Occur |
| Objectify | Order | Outline | Operate |
| Obligate | Offend | Owe | Oppose |
| Obsess | Observe | Overrate | Optimise |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘P’
| Participate | Persuade | Predict | Plan |
| Perceive | Pilot | Prepare | Position |
| Perfect | Pinpoint | Prescribe | Prioritise |
| Perform | Pioneer | Present | Progress |
| Publish | Process | Preside | Produce |
| Purchase | Procure | Programme | Paddle |
| Project | Paralyse | Perceive | Paint |
| Promote | Pardon | Permit | Pamper |
| Propose | Park | Pack | Penetrate |
| Prospect | Provide | Personify | Pay |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘Q’
| Qualify | Question | Quarrel | Quicken |
| Quantify | Quote | Quarantine | Quit |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘R’
| Rate | Reduce | Redesign | Reorganise |
| Realign | Reengineer | Reconquer | Repair |
| Rebuild | Refer | Record | Represent |
| Recapture | Race | Rebel | Research |
| Receive | Raise | Recall | Respond |
| Recognise | Read | Reinforce | Restore |
| Recommend | Realise | Review | Reposition |
| Reconcile | Retrieve | Resolve | Report |
| Record | Recount | Rejuvenate | Renegotiate |
| Recruit | Regain | Render | Revise |
| Restructure | Regulate | Recharge | Rehabilitate |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘S’
| Satisfy | Specify | Scream | Scribble |
| Schedule | Speak | Slap | Seal |
| Secure | Standardise | Scrub | Shop |
| Select | Stimulate | Share | Search |
| Separate | Solve | Smile | Squeeze |
| Serve | Scold | Serve | Suspend |
| Shape | Scare | Settle | Smell |
| Simplify | Swap | Shiver | Suggest |
| Sell | Scratch | Simmer | Synthesise |
| Solidify | Strip | Spell | Surpass |
| Stretch | Support | Summarise | Smash |
| Stitch | Succeed | Switch | Smoke |
| Strengthen | Sail | Supervise | Soak |
| Supply | Save | Spoil | Systematise |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘T’
| Target | Translate | Touch | Tighten |
| Teach | Tear | Trade | Tolerate |
| Talk | Think | Transfer | Toss |
| Terminate | Thank | Transform | Transcribe |
| Test | Threaten | Transport | Transfer |
| Thwart | Thrill | Treat | Transform |
| Train | Throw | Trust | Tickle |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘U’
| Unify | Untie | Unpack | Utilise |
| Use | Uninstall | Unroll | Uncover |
| Update | Unleash | Unwind | Underestimate |
| Upgrade | Undo | Unlock | Underscore |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘V’
| Validate | Verify | Vote |
| Verbalise | Varnish | Voyage |
Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘W’
| Weigh | Wait | Welcome | Wink |
| Watch | Wash | Wrap | Worry |
| Write | Wander | Whisper | Wrestle |
| Wake | Wind | Whistle | Wreck |
Frequently Asked Questions on Action Words in the English Language
What are action words in the English language?
Action words are the words used to express an action done by the subject. There are numerous action words in English vocabulary. And in most cases, an action word marks its appearance right next to the subject.
List 25 commonly used action words in the English Language.
Ride, Sit down, Win, Drink, Stand, Throw, Close, Open, Sleep, Cut , Eat, Cook, Fight, Play, Give, Dig , Laugh, Dance, Climb, Talk, Knit, Kiss, Hug, Bath, Ski
List 100 action words in the English language.
Calculate, Earn, Endure, Examine, Enter, Edit, Energise, Identify, Import, Install, Investigated, Idealise, Improve, Instituted, Imitate, Idolise, Improvise, Instruct, Implant, Navigate, Nominate, Negotiate, Notify, Nominate, Nourish, Normalise, Notice, Observe, Overcame, Open, Obtain, Overhaul, Operate, Offer, Oversaw, Oppose, Officiate, Obey, Participate, Predict, Progress, Paint, Perceive, Prepare, Project, Pamper, Perfected, Prescribe, Promote, Rate, Redesign, Recharge, Renegotiate, Realign, Reduce, Reconquer, Reorganise, Rebuilt, Reengineer, Record, Satisfy, Solve, Scream, Shop, Schedule, Specify, Scribble, Slap, Secure, Speak, Scrub, Smash, Select, Standardise, Seal, Smell, Separate, Stimulate, Search, Smile, Target, Translate, Touch, Teach, Tear, Trade, Talk, Think, Transfer, Terminate, Thank, Transform, Unify, Undress, Unite, Uninstall, Update, Unleash, Upgrade, Unlock.
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