101+ Power Verbs to Use in Writing

101+ Power (Active) Verbs to Use in Writing

*Also See 101+ Words to Describe Feelings, Emotions & Tone

Accommodates: to make fit, suitable, or congruous: to bring into agreement or concord : RECONCILE: to provide with something desired, needed, or suited (as a helpful service, a loan, or lodgings): to make room for: to hold without crowding or inconvenience: to give consideration to : allow for *accommodate the special interests of various groups*ADAPT, CONTAIN
Accepts
Acknowledges
Answers
Achieves: to carry out successfully : ACCOMPLISH *achieve a gradual increase in production*: to get or attain: REACH *achieved a high degree of skill* *achieved greatness*: to attain a desired end or aim : become successful: PERFORM
Acquires: to get as one's own: to come into possession or control of often by unspecified means: to come to have as a new or added characteristic, trait, or ability (as by sustained effort or natural selection) *acquire fluency in French* *bacteria that acquire tolerance to antibiotics*: to locate and hold (a desired object) in a detector *acquire a target by radar*
Adapts: to make fit (as for a specific or new use or situation) often by modification: to ADJUST, ACCOMMODATE, CONFORM, RECONCILE. ADAPT implies a modification according to changing circumstances *adapted themselves to the warmer climate
Affects: to produce an effect upon: to produce a material influence upon or alteration in *paralysis affected his limbs*: to act upon (as a person or a person's mind or feelings) so as to effect a response : INFLUENCE
Affirms: VALIDATE, CONFIRM: to state positively: to assert (as a judgment or decree) as valid or confirmed: to express dedication to: to testify or declare by affirmation as distinguished from swearing an oath. Conviction based on evidence, experience, or faith.
Alters: to make different without changing into something else: to become different :CHANGE
Analyzes: to study or determine the nature and relationship of the parts of by analysis *analyze a traffic pattern* DISSECT, BREAK DOWN
Anticipates: to give advance thought, discussion, or treatment to: to meet (an obligation) before a due date: to foresee and deal with in advance : FORESTALL: to act before (another) often so as to check or counter: to look forward to as certain : EXPECT: FORESEE
Argues
Asserts: to state or declare positively and often forcefully or aggressively: to demonstrate the existence of : DECLARE, AFFIRM,
Believes
Benefits: to be useful or profitable to: to receive benefit
Categorizes
Cautions
Ceases: : to cause to come to an end especially gradually : no longer continue: to come to an end: to bring an activity or action to an end : DISCONTINUE: to become extinct : DIE OUT: STOP
Challenges: to dare, to protest, to provoke, to stimulate, to question
Characterizes: to describe the character or quality of *characterizes him as ambitious*: to be a characteristic of : DISTINGUISH *an era characterized by greed*
Claims
Clarifies: to free of confusion: to make understandable: to become clear
Coincides: to occupy the same place in space or time: : to correspond in nature, character, or function: to be in accord or agreement : CONCUR: AGREE
Compares
Compels: to drive or urge forcefully or irresistibly: to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure: to drive together: FORCE
Compliments: to pay a compliment to: to present with a token of esteem
Concludes
Condemns: to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation: to pronounce guilty : CONVICT b : SENTENCE, DOOM: to adjudge unfit for use or consumption: CRITICIZE
Conflates
Confirms: to give approval to : RATIFY: to make firm or firmer: STRENGTHEN: to give new assurance of the validity of : remove doubt about by authoritative act or indisputable fact: CORROBORATE, SUBSTANTIATE, VERIFY, AUTHENTICATE, VALIDATE
Conforms: to give the same shape, outline, or contour to : bring into harmony or accord *conform furrows to the slope of the land* : to be similar or identical : to be in agreement or harmony used with to or with: to be obedient or compliant: to act in accordance with prevailing standards or customs: ADAPT
Confronts: to face especially in challenge : OPPOSE: to cause to meet : bring face-to-face *confront a reader with statistics* b : to meet face-to-face : ENCOUNTER *confronted the possibility of failure*
Considers
Consoles: to alleviate the grief, sense of loss, or trouble of : COMFORT *console a widow*
Contemplates: to view or consider with continued attention : meditate on: to view as contingent or probable or as an end or intention: to PONDER, MEDITATE
Contradicts: to assert the contrary of : take issue with: to imply the opposite or a denial of *your actions contradict your words* DENY
Contrasts: to set off in contrast : compare or appraise in respect to differences *contrast European and American manners* to COMPARE
Contributes: to give or supply in common with others: to play a significant part in bringing about an end or result
Convinces
Covets: to wish for enviously: to desire what belongs to another
Criticizes: to consider the merits and demerits of and judge accordingly : EVALUATE: to find fault with : point out the faults of: REPREHEND, CENSURE, REPROBATE, CONDEMN, DENOUNCE
Declares: to make known formally, officially, or explicitly: to make clear: to make evident : SHOW: to state emphatically : AFFIRM *declares his innocence*: to make a full statement of (one's taxable or dutiable property): to announce (as a trump suit) in a card
Defends: to maintain or support in the face of argument, to drive danger or attack away from, to prevent, to contest, to take action against or challenge, to PROTECT, SHIELD, GUARD
Defies
Demands
Demonstrates: to show clearly: to prove or make clear by reasoning or evidence: to illustrate and explain especially with many examples: to SHOW
Denounces: to pronounce especially publicly to be blameworthy or evil: PROCLAIM: to announce threateningly: to inform against : ACCUSE: CRITICIZE
Denies
Depicts: to represent by or as if by a picture: DESCRIBE
Describes
Desires: to long or hope for : exhibit or feel desire for: to express a wish for : REQUEST: to express a wish to : WISH, WANT, CRAVE, COVET. DESIRE stresses the strength of feeling and often implies strong intention or aim *desires to start a new life*
Determines
Diminishes
Discloses: to open up: to expose to view: to make known or public *demands that politicians disclose the sources of their income*:REVEAL
Discusses
Displaces: to remove from the usual or proper place: to expel or force to flee from home or homeland: to remove from an office, status, or job: to drive out : BANISH: to move physically out of position *a floating object displaces water* b : to take the place of (as in a chemical reaction) : REPLACE
Displays: to show
Disputes
Disregards
Distinguishes: to perceive a difference in : mentally separate *so alike they could not be distinguished*: to mark as separate or different: to separate into kinds, classes, or categories: to give prominence or distinction to *distinguished themselves in music*: CHARACTERIZE: DISCERN *distinguished a light in the distance*: to single out : take special notice of
Dominates: RULE, CONTROL: to exert the supreme determining or guiding influence on: to overlook from a superior elevation or command because of superior height or position: to have or exert mastery, control, or preeminence
Elates: to fill with joy or pride
Elevates: to lift up : RAISE : to raise in rank or status : EXALT: to improve morally, intellectually, or culturally: to raise the spirits of : ELATE
Eliminates: to cast out or get rid of, to REMOVE, ERADICATE.
Embodies: to give a body to (a spirit) : to make concrete and perceptible: to cause to become a body or part of a body : INCORPORATE: to represent in human or animal form : PERSONIFY *men who greatly embodied the idealism of American life A. M. Schlesinger b1917*
Embraces: to clasp in the arms : HUG: CHERISH, LOVE: ENCIRCLE, ENCLOSE: to take up especially readily or gladly *embrace a cause*:WELCOME *embraced the opportunity to study further*: to take in or include as a part, item, or element of a more inclusive whole *charity embraces all acts that contribute to human welfare*ADOPT, INCLUDE
Emerges: to become manifest: to rise from: come out into view: to rise from an obscure or inferior position or condition
Emits: to throw or give off or out (as light) : to send out : EJECT: to issue with authority: to give utterance or voice to *emitted a groan*
Encounters: to meet, to engage, to come upon face to face.
Endorses
Enhances: RAISE: HEIGHTEN, INCREASE: to increase or improve in value, quality, desirability, or attractiveness
Emphasizes: to place emphasis on : STRESS *emphasized the need for reform*
Enlightens: : ILLUMINATE: to furnish knowledge to : INSTRUCT: to give spiritual insight to
Enriches: : to make rich or richer especially by the addition or increase of some desirable quality or attribute *the experience will enrich your life*: to add beauty to : ADORN b : to enhance d : to improve
Enumerates
Evokes: to call forth or up : CONJURE *evoke evil spirits*: to cite especially with approval or for support : INVOKE: to bring to mind or recollection *this place evokes memories*: to recreate imaginatively
Evolves: EMIT: DERIVE, EDUCE: to produce by natural evolutionary processes: DEVELOP, WORK OUT
Exceeds: to extend outside of *the river will exceed its banks*: to be greater than or superior to: to go beyond a limit set by *exceeded his authority*: OVERDO, SURPASS, TRANSCEND, EXCEL, OUTDO, OUTSTRIP mean to go or be beyond a stated or implied limit, measure, or degree. EXCEED implies going beyond a limit set by authority or established by custom or by prior achievement *exceed the speed limit*.
Excludes: to prevent or restrict the entrance of : to bar from participation, consideration, or inclusion: to expel or bar especially from a place or position previously occupied
Exemplifies: to show or illustrate by example : to make an attested copy or transcript of (a document) under seal: to be an instance of or serve as an example : EMBODY b : to be typical of
Expresses: DELINEATE, DEPICT b : to represent in words : STATE c : to give or convey a true impression of : SHOW, REFLECT d : to make known the opinions or feelings of (oneself) e : to give expression to the artistic or creative impulses or abilities of (oneself) f : to represent by a sign or symbol : SYMBOLIZE
Exaggerates
Experiences
Explains
Explores
Expounds
Facilitates
Formulates
Grants
Guides
Hesitates
Highlights: to center attention on, to ILLUMINATE, something of major importance.
Hints
Hypothesizes
Identifies : to cause to be or become identical: to conceive as united (as in spirit, outlook, or principle) *groups that are identified with conservation*: to establish the identity of
Illuminates
Illustrates: a : ENLIGHTEN b : to light up : to make illustrious (1) : to make bright (2) : ADORN 3 a : to make clear : CLARIFY b : to make clear by giving or by serving as an example or instance c : to provide with visual features intended to explain or decorate *illustrate a book*4 : to show clearly : DEMONSTRATE: to give an example
Imitates: to follow as a pattern, model, or example: to be or appear like : RESEMBLE: to produce a copy of : REPRODUCE: MIMIC, COUNTERFEIT *can imitate his father's booming voice*: COPY
Implies: to involve or indicate by inference, association, or necessary consequence rather than by direct statement *rights imply obligations*: to contain potentially: to express indirectly *his silence implied consent*: SUGGEST
Impresses: to produce a vivid impression of : to affect especially forcibly or deeply : INFLUENCE
Infers
Informs
Initiates
Influences: the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways : SWAY: to have an effect on the condition or development of : MODIFY: AFFECT
Indicates: to point out or point to: to be a sign, symptom, or index of *the high fever indicates a serious condition*: to demonstrate or suggest the necessity or advisability of *indicated the need for a new school*: to state or express briefly *indicated a desire to cooperate*
Insinuates
Insists
Interacts: to act upon or among, to socialize.
Interprets: to explain or tell the meaning of : present in understandable terms: to represent by means of art : bring to realization by performance or direction *interprets a role*
Intervenes: to occur, fall, or come between points of time or events: to come in or between by way of hindrance or modification *intervene to stop a fight*: to interfere usually by force or threat of force in another nation's internal affairs especially to compel or prevent an action: INTERPOSE
Justifies: to prove or show to be just, right, or reasonable b (1) : to show to have had a sufficient legal reason (2) : to qualify (oneself)
Lists
Maintains: to keep in an existing state (as of repair, efficiency, or validity) : preserve from failure or decline *maintain machinery*: to sustain against opposition or danger : uphold and defend *maintain a position*: to continue or persevere in : CARRY ON, KEEP UP *couldn't maintain his composure*: to support or provide for *has a family to maintain* b : SUSTAIN *enough food to maintain life*
Modifies: to make minor changes in: to make basic or fundamental changes in often to give a new orientation to or to serve a new end *the wing of a bird is an arm modified for flying*: to undergo change
Motivates: to cause to move, to drive someone to action, to spur someone on.
Narrates
Negates
Obliges: to constrain by physical, moral, or legal force or by the exigencies of circumstance *obliged to find a job* : to put in one's debt by a favor or service *we are much obliged for your help*: to do a favor for *always ready to oblige a friend*
Observes
Obtains: to gain or attain usually by planned action or effort
Opposes: to place opposite or against something: to place over against something so as to provide resistance, counterbalance, or contrast: to offer resistance to: COMBAT, RESIST, WITHSTAND
Outlines
Parses
Participates: to possess some of the attributes of a person, thing, or quality: to take part *always tried to participate in class discussions* b : to have a part or share in something: to SHARE
Persecutes: to harass in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict. To cause to suffer because of a belief.
Perceives: to attain awareness or understanding of: to regard as being such *perceived threats* *was perceived as a loser*: to become aware of through the senses: SEE, OBSERVE
Persists
Persuades
Pleads
Points Out
Postulates
Praises
Proposes
Provides
Perseveres: the action or condition or an instance of persevering : STEADFASTNESS. Persevere: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counter-influences, opposition, or discouragement
Ponders: to weigh in the mind *pondered their chances of success*: to think about : reflect on *pondered the events of the day*: to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply
Portrays: to make a picture of : DEPICT: to describe in words b : to play the role of : ENACT: to show
Prevents: to keep from happening or existing *steps to prevent war*: to hold or keep back : HINDER, STOP
Prohibits: to forbid by authority: to prevent from doing something: PRECLUDE: FORBID
Projects: to devise in the mind : DESIGN: to plan, figure, or estimate for the future *project expenditures for the coming year*: to throw or cast forward : THRUST: to put or set forth : present for consideration: to attribute (one's own ideas, feelings, or characteristics) to other people or to objects *a nation is an entity on which one can project many of the worst of one's instincts
Promotes: to advance in station, rank, or honor : RAISE: to advance (a student) from one grade to the next higher grade: to contribute to the growth or prosperity of : FURTHER *promote international understanding*: to help bring (as an enterprise) into being : LAUNCH:ADVANCE
Qualifies
Quotes
Ratifies
Reconsiders
Rebels: : opposing or taking arms against a government or ruler: DISOBEDIENT, REBELLIOUS
Reconciles: to restore to friendship or harmony *reconciled the factions* : SETTLE, RESOLVE *reconcile differences*
Reflects: to give back or exhibit as an image, likeness, or outline : MIRROR *the clouds were reflected in the water*: to bring or cast as a result *his attitude reflects little credit on his judgment*: to make manifest or apparent : SHOW *the pulse reflects the condition of the heart*: REALIZE, CONSIDER: to think quietly and calmly b : to express a thought or opinion resulting from reflection
Refines
Regards
Rejects
Relinquishes
Reminds
Reinforces: to strengthen or increase by fresh additions *reinforce our troops* *were reinforcing their pitching staff*: to strengthen by additional assistance, material, or support : make stronger or more pronounced *reinforce levees* *reinforce ideas* : to encourage (a response) with a reinforcer: to seek or get reinforcements
Repudiates
Renders: to transmit to another : DELIVER: GIVE UP, YIELD : to furnish for consideration, approval, or information: as (1) : to hand down (a legal judgment) (2) : to agree on and report (a verdict)(1) : GIVE BACK, RESTORE (2) : REFLECT, ECHO c : to give in acknowledgment of dependence or obligation : PAY: to do (a service) for another: MAKE : IMPART: DEPICT (2) : to give a performance of (3) : to produce a copy or version of *the documents are rendered in the original French* (4) : to execute the motions of *render a salute*: to direct the execution of : ADMINISTER
Resolves: to cause resolution of (a pathological state): to deal with successfully : clear up *resolve doubts* *resolve a dispute*: to find an answer to: to make clear or understandable: to find a mathematical solution of : to reach a firm decision about *resolve to get more sleep* *resolve disputed points in a text*: to work out the resolution of
Responds
Retorts
Restores: GIVE BACK, RETURN: to put or bring back into existence or use : to bring back to or put back into a former or original state : RENEW
Reveals: to make known through divine inspiration: to make (something secret or hidden) publicly or generally known *reveal a secret*: to open up to view : DISPLAY *the uncurtained window revealed a cluttered room*DISCLOSE, DIVULGE, TELL
Reviews
Revolutionizes: to overthrow the established government: to change fundamentally or completely
Seeks
Shares
Shows
Simplifies
Signifies : the quality of being important : Signify (signifies) - to be a sign of : MEAN: IMPLY: to show
Simulates: to give or assume the appearance or effect of often with the intent to deceive : IMITATE: to make a simulation of (as a physical system)
States
Stimulates: to excite to activity or growth or to greater activity : ANIMATE, AROUSE: PROVOKE
Strengthens: to make stronger
Stresses
Suggests
Summarizes
Supplements
Supplies
Supports
Surpasses: to become better, greater, or stronger than : EXCEED: to go beyond : OVERSTEP: to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of EXCEED
Sustains: to give support or relief to : to supply with sustenance : NOURISH : KEEP UP, PROLONG: to support the weight of : to carry or withstand (a weight or pressure): to buoy up *sustained by hope*: to bear up under: SUFFER, UNDERGO *sustained heavy losses* : to support as true, legal, or just: to allow or admit as valid *the court sustained the motion* : to support by adequate proof : CONFIRM
Symbolizes: to serve as a symbol of: to represent, express, or identify by a symbol
Transcends: : to rise above or go beyond the limits of: to triumph over the negative or restrictive aspects of : OVERCOME: to be prior to, beyond, and above (the universe or material existence): to outstrip or outdo in some attribute, quality, or power: EXCEED
Transforms: to change in composition or structure: to change the outward form or appearance of : to change in character or condition
Transmits: : to send or convey from one person or place to another: to cause or allow to spread
Undermines: to wash away supporting material from under: to subvert or weaken insidiously or secretly: WEAKEN
Unifies: to make into a unit or a coherent whole : UNITE
Utilizes: to make use of : turn to practical use or account
Verifies: to confirm or substantiate in law by oath: to establish the truth, accuracy, or reality of: CONFIRM