Action Words| Definition & Examples

Definition of Action Words

Action words, also known as verbs, are words that describe actions, processes, or movements. These words describe actions, which can be things you physically do, like running, or things you think about, like dreaming. We sometimes call them “doing words” because they tell us about actions.  In most cases, an action word marks its appearance right next to the subject.

Also Read What are Action Verbs

How to Use an Action Word in a Sentence?

Action words are special verbs. They are like superhero verbs that show what someone is doing. You change them based on when things happen.

Not all verbs are action words, but they work the same. In sentences, there’s a superhero doing the action, and sometimes, they’re also the one talking.

Some action words need a sidekick, like an object, to finish the sentence. We can even change sentences to make them sound different, like telling a story. Action words, or verbs, make our sentences cool and complete.

Examples of Action Words

• The cat runs across the yard.
• We play games at recess.
• She reads a book every night.
• The sun shines brightly in the sky.
• I jump over the puddle.
• They sing a happy song.
• He eats a delicious sandwich.
• The dog barks loudly.

Commonly Used Action Words in English

Are you finding it tricky to understand action words? Well, here’s a list of the most commonly used action words in English. Going through these words will help you easily recognize action words from the many words we use, and language that keeps growing and changing regularly.

Dream	Sleep	Sit down
Play	Cook	Cut
Fight	Dance	Give
Dive	Cry	Clap
Write	Sew	Stack
Jump	Knit	Paint
Shake	Crawl	Turn Off
Bow	Talk	Ride
Stand	Laugh	Sing
Fly	Watch	Snore
Stack	Sip	Wash
Open	Eat	Ski
Give	Fight	Dig
Bath	Win	Snore
Apply	Beg	Compile

Action Words in the Alphabetical Order

Are you finding it tricky to understand action words? Well, here’s a list of the most commonly used action words in English. Going through these words will help you easily recognize action words from the many words we use, and language that keeps growing and changing regularly.

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘A’

Assess	Accelerate	Adapt
Answer	Augment	Assess
Appreciate	Applaud	Assist
Accelerate	Arrange	Announce
Approve	Analyze	Address
Assemble	Ascend	Analyze
Argue	Ascend	Act
Adjust	Aspire	Assess
Avenge	Award	Authorize
Attack	Assemble	Attack
Attend	Advance	Amplify
Animate	Arbitrate	Allocate
Attract	Augment	Authorize
Award	Ameliorate	Alert
Avail	Audit	Authenticate

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘B

Build	Brainstorm	Begin
Bless	Betray	Boost
Belong	Bargain	Bless
Breakthrough	Balance	Behave
Banish	Bind	Benefit
Believe	Blame	Breathe
Broaden	Beautify	Break

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘C’

Compose	Cultivate	Customize
Celebrate	Critique	Cultivate
Create	Contribute	Collaborate
Clarify	Challenge	Craft
Construct	Conquer	Calculate
Coordinate	Control	Convince
Cultivate	Command	Capture

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘D’

Develop	Dedicate	Diagnose
Devise	Decipher	Direct
Design	Delegate	Discover
Dwell	Draft	Dominate
Deliver	Depart	Demonstrate
Drive	Document	Discuss
Develop	Deliberate	Diversify

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘E’

Evaluate	Evolve	Examine
Exceed	Exercise	Endorse
Execute	Empower	Expedite
Engage	Establish	Expand
Elevate	Explore	Energize
Enhance	Entertain	Enrich
Excel	Extract	Enforce

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘F’

Flourish	Function	Familiarize
Fulfill	Fuel	Finish
Forge	Fixate	Fuse
Fine-tune	Formulate	Foster
Foster	Fraternize	Fluctuate
Foment	Filter	Foster
Finalize	Facilitate	Facade

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘G’

Gather	Galvanize	Grow
Grace	Gain	Gauge
Give	Generate	Guide
Glance	Gradate	Govern
Guard	Grasp	Greet

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘H’        

Heal	Haul	Hug
Help	Hear	Halt
Hesitate	Hinder	Harness
Head	Hammer	Honor
Highlight	Hone	Handle

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘I’          

Inquire	Initiate	Illustrate
Interpret	Ignite	Integrate
Inspire	Incite	Instruct
Implement	Impact	Illuminate
Invigorate	Improve	Indicate

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘J’         

Jet	Juggle	Jump
Jockey	Join	Judge
Jam	Jest	Jog

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘K’        

Kick	Kickstart	Keep
Keep	Key	Knead
Knit	Kidnap	Knockout
Kindle	Know	Kid
Kiss	Knot	Knead

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘L’         

Leap	Linger	Live
Listen	Look	Love
Lift	Lend	Locate
Launch	Learn	Light
Locate	Lead	Learn

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘M’        

Move	Motivate	Manage
Mend	Mimic	Merge
Mount	Mobilize	Magnify
Multiply	Model	Mold
Meditate	Master	Master

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘N’         

Notice	Nominate	Network
Notify	Nurture	Navigate
Nominate	Negotiate	Nomadize
Nudge	Normalize	Nourish

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘O’        

Observe	Organize	Optimize
Occupy	Obtain	Originate
Offer	Open	Operate
Orient	Outreach	Oblige
Object	Offend	Orientate

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘P’         

Plunge	Perform	Propel
Preserve	Protect	Participate
Pursue	Promote	Plan

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘Q’        

Quit	Quell	Quote
Question	Quell

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘R’         

Renew	Reshape	Refine
Roam	Research	Relinquish
Reside	Rotate	Roar
Reflect	Rally	Restore
Recognize	Radiate	Reinforce

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘S’         

Spark	Scan	Shout
Solve	Swing	Synchronize
Stimulate	Succeed	Secure
Shape	Sparkle	Surge
Support	Shift	Strive

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘T’         

Transform	Triumph	Teach
Tumble	Traverse	Tangle
Testify	Tolerate	Trigger
Target	Transmit	Thrive

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘U’         

Uncover	Unwind	Undertake
Unmask	Urge	Unfold
Unplug	Unearth	Unravel
Unite	Unleash	Upend
Unload	Uplift	Update

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘V’         

Voice	Value	Visit
Victimize	Venture	Volley
Vibrate	Validate	View

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘W’        

Win	Wander	Work
Weave	Wrestle	Witness
Wield	Widen	Warrant
Worry	Wave	Welcome
Whisper	Wriggle	Wrestle

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘Y’         

Yield	Yell	Yank
Yawn	Yodel	Yearn

Action Words that Start with the Letter ‘Z’         

Zipper	Zig	Zonk
Zipline	Zeal	Zoom
Zone	Zap	Zigzag