1000 Verbs to Write By - Just a Bit: Writing in Small Chunks



1000 Verbs to Write by Deanna Carlyle

All the writing advice in the world can't replace good tools and lots of practice. This is why I've compiled the following list of over a thousand action verbs. I needed a handy, printable reference tool that didn’t strain my eyes or my wrists. Try it for yourself sometime. It works.

|For "entered" |

|stepped inside |sailed in |broke in |penetrated |forced her way in |set foot in/on |

|went in |burst in |intruded |passed into | |came in |

|For "felt, seemed, showed, looked like" |

|sensed |indicated |hinted at |displayed |had the look of |evidenced |

|had the impression |betokened |alluded to |lay open |had every appearance of |showed |

|understood |foretokened |implied |made manifest |had the earmarks of |manifested |

|detected |revealed |intimated |exposed |resembled |emblematic of |

|seemed |bespoke |presaged |bared |disclosed |sounded like |

|appeared |suggested |portended |struck her as | |exhibited |

| |signified |forewarned |looked as if | |betrayed |

| |connoted | |looked like | | |

|For "had, held" |

|bore |contained |wielded |grasped |toted |suspended |

|exhibited |wore |carried |gripped |possessed |betrayed |

|showed |sported |was furnished with |clutched |retained |evinced |

|displayed |spanned | |contained |embraced | |

|For "heard" |

|overheard |listened in |took heed of |harked |to |heard him out |

|caught |gathered |took in |harkened |gave an ear to |within earshot |

|detected |heard tell of |gave audience |attended to |lent an ear to |out of earshot |

|picked up |strained her ears |apprehended |listened |eavesdropped |perceived |

|For "hit" |

|beat |lashed |thwacked |attacked |tackled |swung |

|socked |pummeled |slapped |hacked |pumped |trounced |

|bumped |punched |smacked |swiped |impacted |crashed |

|clapped |rammed |thumped | | | |

|For "jumped" |

|leapt/leaped |startled |lunged |jolted |shot from |sprang |

|pounced |flinched |launched |erupted |vaulted |jerked |

| | | |exploded | | |

|For "left, exited" |

|ran off |departed |deserted |withdrew |fled |bowed her way out |

|walked off |retreated |repaired |quit |sallied forth | |

|went out |decamped |retired |took off | | |

|For “lie down, lay” |

|reclined |lolled |lay back |sprawled |lay prostrate |reposed |

|eased onto |luxuriated |rested |lounged |lay recumbent |lazed |

|flopped onto | | |slouched |lay prone |slumped |

|For "looked, saw" |

|glared |squinted |his eyes begged her to |looked upon |took a glance |noticed |

|glanced off |shot him a look |amplify |distinguished |stared |observed |

|regarded |fixed her with a stare|gazed |fixed her gaze on |leered |considered |

|made out | |gaped |noted |scowled |watched |

|descried |sighted |spotted |recognized |scanned |viewed |

|remarked |ogled |surveyed |identified |peered |took in |

|had in sight |cast a glance |turned an eye on |took a look |squinted |studied |

|glowered | | |monitored |gaped |examined |

| | | |looked on | | |

|inspected |flipped through |contemplated | |eyed |skimmed |

|scrutinized |perceived |kept in sight |thought better of |detected |glanced through |

|perused |discerned |held in view |kept watch |watched for |took stock of |

|sized up |beheld |stood guard | | | |

|For "pulled" |

|pulled out |took out |produced |extricated |drew |yanked |

|removed |extracted |tugged |lugged |dragged | |

|For "pushed" |

|propelled |drove |roused |pressed forward |squeezed through |forged ahead |

|ballasted |trundled |prompted |made one's way | | |

|set in motion |shoved | | | | |

| |thrust | | | | |

|For "put" |

|stashed |set before |parked |stood on end |flung |eased |

|placed |dropped |stationed |upended |lobbed |shifted |

|posed |crammed |planted |deposited |hurled |interposed |

|posited |stuffed |perched |consigned |heaved |installed |

|plunked down |stuck |inserted |relegated |cast |dunked |

|mounted |lodged |lay |strapped |slapped onto |threw |

|positioned |plopped |set |tossed |draped |plunked |

|stationed | | | | | |

|For “reacted” |

|reeled back |fell silent |flinched |swallowed |gasped |cocked her head to one side |

|rocked back |shrugged and said |shivered |pouted |started |put her head to one side |

|flushed |admitted with a nod |sniffed |looked + adj. |startled |tilted her head |

|blanched |shook his head |blinked |yielded |slackened |chuckled |

|blushed |beamed |retracted |hesitated |reclined |yawned |

|scowled |smirked |sighed |made no attempt to |drew back |laughed |

|nodded her consent |simpered |exhaled |frowned |stepped back |snickered |

|nodded his agreement |listed |inhaled |made no answer |stiffened |giggled |

|smiled |tilted |flicked |fell silent |resisted |stifled a yawn |

|grinned |swayed |flung |paused |retreated |stifled a laugh |

|grimaced |keeled over |reclined |stared |raised an eyebrow |sneered |

|took a deep breath |glared |shifted |devoid of emotion |glanced off | |

| | |relaxed | |grinned | |

| | |shrugged | | | |

|For "said" |

|uttered |moaned |sassed |sang out |squealed |advised |

|mumbled |muttered |prompted |scoffed |squeaked |announced |

|drawled |murmured |questioned |screamed |asked herself |growled |

|parroted |cooed |demanded |yelled |asked |stuttered |

|echoed |whispered |queried |yelped |assured |stammered |

|said half-aloud |crooned |replied |shouted |commanded |instructed |

|snarled |hollered |suggested |inquired |cried out |told |

|blurted |shrilled |responded |chirped |exclaimed |jeered |

|scolded |spat |gabbled |preached |spouted |crowed |

|lamented |stated |sputtered |came out with |let slip |vaunted |

|mocked |whined |blathered |declaimed |enlightened him |bragged |

|objected |jabbered |rambled on |pontificated |pointed out |disparaged |

|questioned |prated |rattled on |harangued |chatted |belittled |

|roared |prattled |maundered |ranted |revealed |notified |

|speculated |gibbered |digressed |rhapsodized |boasted |addressed |

|snapped |cackled |sermonized | | |blabbed |

|nattered |wondered aloud |recited |conveyed |mentioned |let out |

|bantered |rejoined |repeated |declared |added |divulged |

|yakked |retorted |remarked |summoned |put before |disclosed |

|whispered |replied |came out with |imparted |revealed |made known |

|gushed | | | | | |

|vented |avowed |claimed |offered |implied |ascribed |

|aired |avouched |purported |proposed |asserted |affirmed |

|breathed |assumed |insinuated |pleaded |expressed |professed |

|betrayed |imagined |cited |imputed |pledged |admitted |

|recited |professed |named |averred |advanced |predicted |

|For "sat" |

|slumped |was seated |roosted |sat bestride |lolled |sat astride |

|eased into |plopped down |perched |reposed |lounged |hunkered down |

|lowered himself |crouched |settled |leaned |sprawled |sat himself |

|sank into |squatted |straddled |reclined |lodged | |

|For "smelled" |

|got scent of |snuffled |snuffed |discerned |assaulted the nostrils|Scented |

|sensed |snorted |breathed in |reeked |perceived |detected |

|sniffed |inhaled |savored |stunk | | |

|For "stood" |

|got to his feet |jumped up |rose |rose to his feet |got up |remained upright |

|held herself erect |stationed herself | | | | |

|For "tasted, drank" |

|savored |chewed |melted |swilled |tippled |soused |

|relished |ingested |licked |chomped |nipped |quenched |

|nibbled at |ruminated |slurped |ground |supped |washed down |

|tried |sampled |chugged |munched |drained |swilled down |

|gulped |sank his teeth into |smacked |gnawed |quaffed |guzzled down |

|took a deep swallow |bit into |suckled |rended |imbibed | |

| |swigged |sucked |sipped |lapped up | |

| | |crunched | | | |

|For "thought, remembered" |

|wondered |held in one's mind |he was tempted to |pictured |conjured up |concentrated |

|asked herself |It occurred to her |brought to mind |featured |conceived of |mused |

|pondered |It came to her |he was taken with the |imagined |fancied |ruminated |

|noticed |realized |idea that |pretended |allowed the conceit |recalled |

|reflected |knew |she reasoned |hoped |judged |mulled over |

|struck her as |she considered. |understood |feared |suspected |brooded over |

|entertained the notion |she considered this. |considered |envisioned |intended |projected |

|went over | | |deliberated |expected |anticipated |

|reviewed | | |envisaged |planned |concluded |

| | | |called up | |esteemed |

|took heed |formulated |inferred |flirted with the idea |image of |reminded her of |

|kept in mind |concocted |thought back to |recollected |conjured |acknowledged |

|guessed |reasoned that |put her in mind of |bore in mind |hatched |weighed |

|supposed |turned it over in her mind|called to mind |deduced |fabricated |reconsidered |

|formed an | | | |fashioned | |

|For "took" |

|drew |snatched out |hoisted |extracted |gathered |swiped |

|withdrew |scooped up |set upright |extricated |grasped |snared |

|pulled out a |rooted out |elevated |accepted |gripped |dragged |

|picked |snatched |seized |fetched |fingered |acquired |

|selected |trapped |prized open |grabbed |nabbed |obtained |

|chose |took up |wrenched |snitched |packed |gained |

|plucked |raised |wrested |took hold of |ransacked |procured |

|removed |picked up |produced |jimmied |appropriated |garnered |

|gleaned |pilfered |lowered |took down |tore down |swapped |

|For "touched" |

|clutched |manipulated |rummaged through |tugged |rapped |glanced |

|pawed |maneuvered |caressed |squeezed |brushed |alighted |

|gripped |twiddled |fondled |scratched |bedaubed |pressed |

|grasped |palpated |stroked |pinched |dappled |wrung |

|took hold of |palmed |grazed |patted |dabbed |kneaded |

|adjusted |handled |rubbed |tapped |swept across |shoved |

|felt |thumbed | |tamped |scraped |gouged |

|grazed |probed |pulled |massaged |flogged |tapped |

|prodded |goaded |pushed |felt |fondled |drummed |

|ticked |twisted |primped |flattened |groped |wiggled |

|trapped |wedged |preened |smoothed |handled |worked |

|jabbed |pried |rattled |scooped up |held |stubbed |

|poked |prized open |pumped |flicked |knifed |scoured |

|pressed |pry/pried |mangled |flipped |mauled |scrubbed |

|For "turned" |

|wheeled around |rotated |swiveled |eddied |shifted |Revolved |

|twisted to one side |spun on her heels |reeled |swirled |divagated |whirled about |

| |pivoted |trundled |sheered |angled off | |

| | |circled |veered |shunted | |

|For “walked” or “ran” |

|lumbered |tore |wobbled |scuttled |scooted |marched |

|plodded |tore along |hiked |went on his way |slouched |stepped |

|scurried |made rapid strides |withdrew |shuffled |scrambled |paced |

|sidled |covered ground |ambulated |scuffed |scampered |roamed |

|slinked / slunk |sprinted |perambulated |scuffled |minced |roved |

|proceeded |careered |absconded |stumbled |trotted |meandered |

|wended |scudded |trailed after |shambled |strolled |shadowed |

|continued on |trampled |bolted |waddled |sauntered |pursued |

|drifted past / along |veered |hastened |launched across |ambled |trekked |

| | |waded | | | |

|strayed |scaled |raced |hobbled |bushwhacked |dodged |

|glided along |lunged |hurried |lurched |chased |edged |

|strode |moved |jogged |staggered |climbed |eluded |

|stalked |paraded |cantered |tripped |crept along, crept away |emerged |

|stomped |passed |loped |crawled |sneaked / snuck |entered |

|strutted |patrolled |tripped |crossed |tiptoed |evacuated |

|swished |plowed |took flight |traversed |stepped lightly |escaped |

|swaggered |prowled |decamped |inched across |pussyfooted |evaded |

|stamped |propelled |drifted |hurtled |dashed |fled |

|tramped |pursued |limped |galloped |danced |flitted |

|trudged |raced |skidded |charged |pranced |flew |

|traipsed |sailed |skipped |darted |descended |hauled off |

|trod/treaded/ |rushed |stole |advanced |ascended |groped his way |

|trodden |sidestepped |ushered |approached |stomped | |

|listed |swerved |steered |wandered | | |

|For "was, were" |

|hung |spanned |stayed |occurred |Contained |

|took place |loomed |persisted |happened |occupied |

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download