Action Verbs
Table of Contents
List of Common Action Verbs
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Run |
To move quickly on foot |
She runs every morning. |
Jump |
To push off the ground into the air |
He jumped over the puddle. |
Sprint |
To run at full speed for a short time |
The athlete sprinted to the finish line. |
Hike |
To walk long distances, usually in nature |
They hiked through the forest. |
Walk |
To move at a regular pace by foot |
We walk to school every day. |
Swim |
To move through water using limbs |
She swims in the pool on weekends. |
Dive |
To jump headfirst into water |
He dived into the lake. |
Climb |
To go upward using hands and feet |
They climbed the mountain. |
Lift |
To raise something to a higher position |
She lifted the heavy box. |
Throw |
To propel something with the hand |
He threw the ball to his friend. |
Catch |
To grab and hold something in motion |
She caught the flying frisbee. |
Kick |
To strike with the foot |
He kicked the soccer ball into the goal. |
Punch |
To hit with a closed fist |
The boxer punched the bag hard. |
Hit |
To strike something forcefully |
She hit the nail with the hammer. |
Dance |
To move rhythmically to music |
They danced at the party. |
Sing |
To make musical sounds with the voice |
He sings beautifully in the choir. |
Play |
To engage in a game or activity |
The children play in the park. |
Drive |
To operate a vehicle |
She drives to work every day. |
Fly |
To move through the air |
Birds fly south in winter. |
Eat |
To consume food |
We eat lunch together at noon. |
Drink |
To consume liquids |
He drinks water after exercising. |
Cook |
To prepare food by heating it |
She cooks dinner for her family. |
Bake |
To cook in an oven |
He baked a chocolate cake. |
Grow |
To increase in size or develop |
The plants grow quickly in the sun. |
Build |
To construct or create something |
They built a sandcastle on the beach. |
Paint |
To apply color to a surface |
She paints landscapes on weekends. |
Write |
To form letters or words on a surface |
He writes in his journal daily. |
Draw |
To make a picture using a pen or pencil |
She drew a beautiful portrait. |
Read |
To look at and understand written words |
He reads a book before bed. |
Study |
To learn about a subject by reading or practicing |
They study English every evening. |
Listen |
To give attention to sounds |
She listens to music while working. |
Speak |
To express thoughts verbally |
He speaks three languages fluently. |
Ride |
To travel on or in something (bike, horse, etc.) |
She rides her bike to the park. |
Action Verbs to Make Your Resume Stand Out
Action Verbs for Leading a Project
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Administer |
To manage and oversee the execution of a task or process |
She administered the company’s annual budget review. |
Arrange |
To organize or set up something systematically |
He arranged the team’s meeting schedule last week. |
Chair |
To lead a formal meeting or committee |
She chaired the quarterly project review yesterday. |
Coordinate |
To bring together different parts or people for efficiency |
He coordinated the launch of the new software. |
Direct |
To manage or guide a team or project |
She directed the marketing campaign successfully. |
Execute |
To carry out or put a plan into action |
He executed the event flawlessly. |
Delegate |
To assign tasks or responsibilities to others |
She delegated tasks to her team members. |
Head |
To lead or be in charge of a project |
He headed the new product development initiative. |
Manage |
To take responsibility for controlling or overseeing |
She managed the entire project from start to finish. |
Operate |
To run or control a system or process |
He operated the system without any issues. |
Orchestrate |
To organize and plan all aspects of a complex project |
She orchestrated the company's annual conference. |
Organize |
To arrange and prepare systematically |
He organized the charity event last month. |
Oversee |
To supervise or monitor progress |
She oversaw the construction project on site. |
Plan |
To make detailed arrangements for something in advance |
He planned the entire project timeline. |
Produce |
To create or deliver a final product |
She produced a detailed project report. |
Program |
To set up or design a sequence of tasks or events |
He programmed the system updates over the weekend. |
Spearhead |
To lead an initiative or project |
She spearheaded the company’s new sustainability program. |
Action Verbs for Envisioning and Bringing a Project to Life
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Build |
To construct or develop something from the ground up |
She built a strong team to execute the project. |
Chart |
To outline a plan or strategy |
He charted the roadmap for the product launch. |
Create |
To bring something new into existence |
She created a unique design for the marketing campaign. |
Design |
To plan and structure the components of a project |
He designed the layout for the company’s new website. |
Develop |
To expand or improve upon an idea |
She developed a new strategy for customer engagement. |
Devise |
To invent or come up with a creative solution |
He devised an innovative approach to problem-solving. |
Found |
To establish or start something new |
She founded the company’s first mentorship program. |
Engineer |
To skillfully plan or construct a system or process |
He engineered a new workflow to increase efficiency. |
Establish |
To set up or formalize a structure, system, or organization |
She established clear guidelines for the project team. |
Formalize |
To give a clear and structured form to something |
He formalized the project proposal for approval. |
Form |
To create or organize something |
She formed a partnership with a local business. |
Formulate |
To develop or plan an idea systematically |
He formulated a comprehensive business plan. |
Implement |
To put a plan or idea into action |
She implemented the new software across all departments. |
Incorporate |
To integrate something into an existing system |
He incorporated customer feedback into the product design. |
Initiate |
To begin or launch a new project or activity |
She initiated the company’s digital transformation. |
Institute |
To establish a system, policy, or process |
He instituted a new training program for employees. |
Introduce |
To present or bring something new to a group |
She introduced a more efficient way to manage tasks. |
Launch |
To officially start or release something |
He launched a new product line last quarter. |
Pioneer |
To be the first to develop or lead an initiative |
She pioneered the use of AI in their industry. |
Propose |
To suggest an idea or plan for consideration |
He proposed a new strategy to improve sales. |
Action Verbs for Increasing Efficiency, Productivity, or Profit (or Reducing Costs/Time)
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Accelerate |
To speed up a process or task |
She accelerated the product development timeline. |
Achieve |
To successfully accomplish a goal |
He achieved record-breaking sales last quarter. |
Advance |
To move something forward or improve it |
She advanced the company’s digital marketing strategy. |
Amplify |
To increase or strengthen something |
He amplified brand awareness through social media. |
Boost |
To increase or improve significantly |
She boosted productivity by implementing new tools. |
Capitalize |
To take advantage of opportunities for growth |
He capitalized on market trends to increase revenue. |
Conserve |
To save or use resources efficiently |
She conserved company resources by optimizing workflows. |
Consolidate |
To combine and strengthen efforts or systems |
He consolidated multiple teams to improve efficiency. |
Decrease |
To reduce the size, amount, or impact of something |
She decreased production costs by 15%. |
Deduct |
To subtract or remove an amount |
He deducted unnecessary expenses from the budget. |
Deliver |
To provide results or outcomes as promised |
She delivered a 10% increase in customer satisfaction. |
Enhance |
To improve the quality or value of something |
He enhanced the user experience on the website. |
Expand |
To increase in size, scope, or reach |
She expanded the company’s market share in Europe. |
Expedite |
To speed up the process or completion of something |
He expedited the shipping process to meet deadlines. |
Further |
To help move an initiative or goal forward |
She furthered the company’s sustainability efforts. |
Gain |
To increase in amount or achieve something |
He gained new clients through effective networking. |
Generate |
To produce or create something, such as revenue or ideas |
She generated $1M in new business opportunities. |
Improve |
To make something better |
He improved team collaboration through clear communication. |
Increase |
To make something larger in size, amount, or value |
She increased sales by 20% last year. |
Lift |
To raise or boost something to a higher level |
He lifted customer satisfaction ratings significantly. |
Maximize |
To optimize and achieve the highest potential |
She maximized profits by cutting unnecessary expenses. |
Outpace |
To perform better or faster than others |
He outpaced competitors in sales growth. |
Reconcile |
To resolve differences and bring into agreement |
She reconciled financial discrepancies in the accounts. |
Reduce |
To lower or minimize something |
He reduced the time spent on repetitive tasks by 30%. |
Save |
To conserve resources such as time, money, or effort |
She saved the company $50,000 by renegotiating contracts. |
Stimulate |
To encourage or boost activity or growth |
He stimulated customer interest with a new marketing campaign. |
Sustain |
To maintain a positive state or progress |
She sustained high levels of employee engagement. |
Yield |
To produce results, often profits or benefits |
He yielded a significant return on investment. |
Action Verbs for Changing or Improving Something
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Centralize |
To bring together in one place or under one system |
She centralized the company’s data management system. |
Clarify |
To make something easier to understand |
He clarified the project goals for the entire team. |
Convert |
To change from one form or use to another |
She converted paper files into digital records. |
Customize |
To modify to suit specific needs or preferences |
He customized the software for individual users. |
Digitize |
To convert information into digital form |
She digitized the company’s archive of documents. |
Integrate |
To combine parts to create a unified system |
He integrated new tools into the existing workflow. |
Merge |
To combine two or more entities into one |
She merged two departments to improve collaboration. |
Modernize |
To update something to make it more current or efficient |
He modernized the office with the latest technology. |
Modify |
To make partial changes to something |
She modified the training program based on feedback. |
Overhaul |
To completely change or improve something |
He overhauled the company’s customer service system. |
Redesign |
To change the design or layout of something |
She redesigned the website for a better user experience. |
Refine |
To improve by making small changes |
He refined the marketing strategy for better results. |
Refocus |
To adjust focus on a different goal or priority |
She refocused the team’s efforts on the main objectives. |
Rehabilitate |
To restore something to a better condition |
He rehabilitated the old warehouse into a modern workspace. |
Remodel |
To change the structure or appearance of something |
She remodeled the office to create an open layout. |
Reorganize |
To arrange something in a more effective way |
He reorganized the filing system for better access. |
Replace |
To remove and put something else in its place |
She replaced outdated equipment with new machines. |
Restructure |
To change the structure of something to make it more efficient |
He restructured the company’s hierarchy for clarity. |
Revamp |
To make major improvements or updates to something |
She revamped the company’s branding to appeal to a younger audience. |
Revitalize |
To bring new energy or strength to something |
He revitalized the local business district. |
Simplify |
To make something less complex or easier to understand |
She simplified the process for onboarding new employees. |
Standardize |
To make consistent across all areas or levels |
He standardized the reporting procedures company-wide. |
Streamline |
To make a system or process more efficient |
She streamlined production to reduce costs. |
Strengthen |
To make something stronger or more effective |
He strengthened the company’s partnerships with suppliers. |
Transform |
To completely change something for the better |
She transformed the outdated business model. |
Update |
To bring something to a more recent version or state |
He updated the company’s software to the latest version. |
Upgrade |
To improve the quality or performance of something |
She upgraded the office computers to increase speed. |
Action Verbs for When You Managed a Team
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Align |
To bring people or goals into agreement or harmony |
She aligned team objectives with company priorities. |
Cultivate |
To nurture or develop skills, relationships, or culture |
He cultivated a collaborative work environment. |
Direct |
To manage and oversee tasks or activities |
She directed the team through a complex project. |
Enable |
To provide the means or support for success |
He enabled team members to achieve their goals by offering resources. |
Facilitate |
To make processes easier by organizing or guiding |
She facilitated productive discussions during meetings. |
Foster |
To encourage the growth or development of something |
He fostered strong communication within the team. |
Guid |
To lead or assist someone in achieving a goal |
She guided junior employees through their first major tasks. |
Hire |
To select and bring new employees into a team |
He hired skilled professionals to strengthen the team. |
Mentor |
To offer advice, guidance, and support to help others grow |
She mentored new team members to build their confidence. |
Mobilize |
To organize and prepare a group to take action |
He mobilized the team to meet a tight deadline. |
Motivate |
To inspire or encourage someone to take action |
She motivated the team with clear goals and rewards. |
Recruit |
To attract and select suitable candidates for a role |
He recruited top talent to join the department. |
Shape |
To influence or mold the development of a team |
She shaped the team’s work culture around innovation. |
Supervise |
To oversee the work and performance of a group |
He supervised daily operations to ensure smooth progress. |
Teach |
To instruct or educate others on skills or knowledge |
She taught team members how to use the new software. |
Traine |
To provide learning opportunities to improve skills |
He trained employees on the latest safety procedures. |
Unify |
To bring together team members to work as one |
She unified the team under a shared vision. |
Unite |
To create a sense of togetherness and shared purpose |
He united the team to overcome challenges together. |
Action Verbs for When You Brought in Partners, Funding, Resources, or Clients
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Acquire |
To successfully gain or obtain something valuable |
She acquired new clients through targeted outreach. |
Close |
To finalize a deal, agreement, or transaction |
He closed a $1 million funding deal with investors. |
Forge |
To build or establish strong relationships or partnerships |
She forged strategic alliances with industry leaders. |
Navigate |
To skillfully manage complex negotiations or processes |
He navigated challenging discussions with stakeholders. |
Negotiate |
To reach an agreement through discussion and compromise |
She negotiated better terms for the partnership. |
Partner |
To collaborate or work with another organization or individual |
He partnered with a leading tech firm for the project. |
Pitch |
To present an idea, product, or service to gain interest |
She pitched the new product to potential investors. |
Secure |
To obtain something valuable through effort or negotiation |
He secured additional funding for the project. |
Sign |
To finalize an agreement or contract by obtaining a signature |
She signed a deal with a major client. |
Source |
To identify and obtain necessary resources or supplies |
He sourced high-quality materials from local vendors. |
Upsell |
To persuade a client to purchase additional or higher-value items |
She upsold premium services to existing customers. |
Action Verbs for When You Supported Customers
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Advise |
To provide guidance or suggestions to help customers make decisions |
She advised clients on the best investment options. |
Advocate |
To actively support or represent the customer’s needs |
He advocated for a customer-facing policy change. |
Coach |
To train or guide customers in achieving specific goals |
She coached users on how to maximize software features. |
Consult |
To offer expert advice on specific issues |
He consulted with clients to improve their workflows. |
Educate |
To inform or teach customers about a product or process |
She educated customers on the benefits of their service. |
Field |
To handle or respond to customer inquiries or complaints |
He fielded numerous support calls during the launch. |
Inform |
To provide customers with necessary or important information |
She informed clients about changes to the pricing structure. |
Recommend |
To suggest products, services, or solutions that fit customer needs |
He recommended the best package for their business. |
Resolve |
To solve customer issues or concerns efficiently |
She resolved a technical issue within minutes. |
Action Verbs for When You Did Research or Analysis
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Analyze |
To examine data or information in detail to find patterns |
She analyzed customer feedback to improve services. |
Assemble |
To gather and organize data or information |
He assembled key reports for the project proposal. |
Assess |
To evaluate the quality, value, or significance of something |
She assessed the risks involved in the new investment. |
Audit |
To review and verify records for accuracy |
He audited the company’s financial statements. |
Calculate |
To determine values or figures using mathematical processes |
She calculated the budget needed for the campaign. |
Compile |
To collect and organize information from different sources |
He compiled data from multiple research papers. |
Discover |
To find or learn something new through research |
She discovered a new trend in customer behavior. |
Evaluate |
To assess the strengths and weaknesses of something |
He evaluated the performance of the new system. |
Examine |
To inspect or study something closely |
She examined market trends to guide product development. |
Explore |
To investigate or study an area or idea thoroughly |
He explored potential new markets for the product. |
Forecast |
To predict future outcomes based on data analysis |
She forecasted next quarter’s sales figures. |
Identify |
To recognize and name key factors or issues |
He identified areas for improvement in the workflow. |
Interpret |
To explain the meaning of data or results |
She interpreted survey results to guide decisions. |
Interview |
To collect information by asking questions of individuals |
He interviewed stakeholders for project requirements. |
Investigate |
To carry out a detailed inquiry to uncover facts |
She investigated the cause of the system failure. |
Map |
To visually represent data or processes |
He mapped the customer journey to identify pain points. |
Measure |
To determine the size, amount, or degree of something |
She measured the success of the marketing campaign. |
Model |
To create a representation or simulation of a system |
He modeled different financial scenarios. |
Project |
To estimate or predict future results based on data |
She projected a 15% growth in revenue for next year. |
Qualify |
To determine whether data or results meet specific standards |
He qualified the leads based on their potential value. |
Quantify |
To express data or findings in numerical terms |
She quantified the impact of the policy change. |
Report |
To present findings or results in a structured format |
He reported his analysis to the management team. |
Survey |
To gather data by asking questions or conducting studies |
She surveyed customers to understand their needs. |
Test |
To conduct experiments or trials to verify results |
He tested the new software for bugs. |
Track |
To monitor and record changes or progress over time |
She tracked the team’s productivity levels monthly. |
Visualize |
To create visual representations of data |
He visualized the results using graphs and charts. |
Action Verbs for When You Communicated
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Author |
To write and publish original content |
She authored a detailed report on project findings. |
Brief |
To give concise information or instructions |
He briefed the team on the new company policies. |
Campaign |
To actively promote or advocate for a cause or idea |
She campaigned for increased environmental awareness. |
Coauthor |
To write a document with one or more people |
He coauthored an article with his colleague. |
Compose |
To create written or musical work |
She composed a professional email to the client. |
Convey |
To communicate a message or idea clearly |
He conveyed the importance of meeting the deadline. |
Convince |
To persuade someone to believe or agree |
She convinced the board to approve the proposal. |
Correspond |
To exchange written communication |
He corresponded with clients via email. |
Counsel |
To offer advice or guidance |
She counseled the team on resolving conflicts. |
Critique |
To provide feedback, often suggesting improvements |
He critiqued the draft presentation for clarity. |
Define |
To clearly explain the meaning or scope of something |
She defined the project goals during the meeting. |
Document |
To record information systematically |
He documented all changes made to the system. |
Draft |
To create an initial version of a document |
She drafted the press release for review. |
Edit |
To revise and improve written content |
He edited the training manual for clarity. |
Illustrate |
To explain or make something clear using visual examples |
She illustrated her points with charts and graphs. |
Lobby |
To advocate for a specific cause or policy |
He lobbied for increased funding for the project. |
Outline |
To summarize key points or a plan |
She outlined the project timeline during the meeting. |
Persuade |
To convince someone to take a specific action |
He persuaded the client to extend their contract. |
Present |
To formally deliver information to an audience |
She presented the quarterly report to stakeholders. |
Promote |
To publicize or advocate for something to gain support |
He promoted the new product across social media. |
Publicize |
To spread information to increase awareness |
She publicized the event through email and newsletters. |
Review |
To carefully examine or assess written or spoken content |
He reviewed the marketing strategy before approval. |
Write |
To create written content |
She wrote an article for the company’s blog. |
Action Verbs for When You Oversaw or Regulated
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Adjudicate |
To make a formal judgment or decision |
She adjudicated disputes between team members fairly. |
Authorize |
To give official approval or permission |
He authorized the release of the new product design. |
Block |
To prevent or restrict something from happening |
She blocked unauthorized access to the database. |
Dispatch |
To send out people or items to a specific location or task |
He dispatched the maintenance team to fix the issue. |
Enforce |
To ensure compliance with rules or policies |
She enforced company regulations to maintain order. |
Ensure |
To make certain that something is done or happens |
He ensured all safety protocols were followed. |
Inspect |
To examine something closely for compliance or issues |
She inspected the facility to identify any problems. |
Itemize |
To break down and list components in detail |
He itemized the expenses for the finance department. |
Monitor |
To observe and check progress or performance over time |
She monitored the team’s progress on the project. |
Screen |
To examine and evaluate for suitability or accuracy |
He screened job applicants to find the best candidates. |
Scrutinize |
To examine something in great detail |
She scrutinized the contract for hidden clauses. |
Verify |
To confirm the accuracy or truth of something |
He verified all the data before submitting the report. |
Action Verbs for When You Achieved Something
Word |
Definition |
Example |
Attain |
To achieve or reach a specific goal or milestone |
She attained her sales target ahead of schedule. |
Complete |
To finish a task or project successfully |
He completed the training program with top marks. |
Demonstrate |
To show evidence of ability, skill, or success |
She demonstrated her leadership by managing a complex project. |
Finish |
To bring something to an end |
He finished the report before the deadline. |
Earn |
To gain or receive recognition, money, or status |
She earned a promotion after her excellent performance. |
Exceed |
To go beyond a set limit or expectation |
He exceeded the company’s revenue goals for the year. |
Outperform |
To perform better than others |
She outperformed her peers in quarterly evaluations. |
Overcome |
To successfully deal with or defeat a challenge |
He overcame significant obstacles to deliver results. |
Reach |
To achieve a specific goal or level |
She reached her goal of completing the project early. |
Showcase |
To present or display achievements or skills |
He showcased his expertise in the conference presentation. |
Succeed |
To accomplish a goal or achieve the desired result |
She succeeded in launching the new product on time. |
Surpass |
To exceed expectations or previous achievements |
He surpassed last year’s sales record by 20%. |
Target |
To set and focus on achieving a specific goal |
She targeted key accounts and successfully closed deals. |
Win |
To achieve victory or an award |
He won the Employee of the Month award. |
Types of Action Verbs
1. Physical Action Verbs
These verbs describe physical activities that you can see or do.
Example Sentence |
Action Verb |
He kicks the ball. |
kicks |
They climb the mountain. |
climb |
We painted the house. |
painted |
2. Mental Action Verbs
These verbs describe activities happening in the mind, such as thinking or feeling.
Example Sentence |
Action Verb |
I remember her smile. |
remember |
She considers her options. |
considers |
They hope for success. |
Hope |
Common Errors with Action Verbs
-
Forgetting to match the verb with the subject:
-
Incorrect: He run every morning.
-
Correct: He runs every morning.
-
Using the wrong tense:
-
Incorrect: Yesterday, she plays soccer.
-
Correct: Yesterday, she played soccer.
-
Confusing action verbs with state-of-being verbs:
-
Action verbs show action (e.g., run, think).
-
State-of-being verbs describe existence (e.g., is, was).
Example: -
She is happy. (Not an action verb)
-
She jumps with joy. (Action verb)
Rules for Using Action Verbs
-
Always use the correct tense to show when the action happens (past, present, or future).
-
Present: She reads every day.
-
Past: She read a book yesterday.
-
Future: She will read tomorrow.
-
Add -s or -es to the verb in the third person singular form (he, she, it) in the present tense.
-
He walks to school.
-
She teaches English.
-
Use helping verbs like am, is, are, was, were with the present participle (-ing form) to describe ongoing actions.
-
I am reading now.
-
They were playing soccer yesterday.
FAQs About Action Verbs
What is an action verb?
An action verb is a word that shows what someone or something is doing, like “run,” “think,” or “smile.”
How do I identify an action verb in a sentence?
Look for the word that describes the action being performed. For example, in "She writes a letter," the action verb is “writes.”
Can action verbs be used in all tenses?
Yes, action verbs can be used in the past, present, and future tense.
What is the difference between action verbs and state-of-being verbs?
Action verbs show action, while state-of-being verbs (like "is" or "are") describe a state or condition.
What are examples of mental action verbs?
Mental action verbs include words like “believe,” “think,” “understand,” and “hope.”