Every sentence needs a verb, but action verbs propel writing beyond basic into extraordinary. Pump up your next writing assignment with a list of action verbs for kids to show what your subject is doing in an interesting way.
Fantasy Words
Words and actions from magical or fairy tale lands give your writing an enchanted and mysterious feeling. But, you don't have to write a piece of fiction or fantasy to use this list of verbs for kids.
Activate - make something reactive
Brew - make by steeping or boiling
Cast - put or send forth
Conjure - invoke or summon
Counteract - neutralize the negative effects of
Craft - make something using great skill
Duel -fight in a duel with another person
Flit - move quickly from one place to another
Illuminate - make something shine
Imagine - picture something in the mind
Pirate - steal
Sparkle - reflect moving lights
Spawn -cause something to start
Sprinkle - spread small pieces
Transfigure - turn one thing into something else
Vanquish - beat in a contest
Warp - change the shape of something
Wield - use something well
Animal Actions
Wild and domesticated animals make sounds and movements people cannot. However, in writing, you can use these animal actions as inspiration for things people do.
Amble - walk slowly
Bellow - deep sound like a bull makes
Bombinate - make a buzzing sound like a bee
Buck - jump into the air
Creep - move slowly and quietly
Dash - move quickly
Gallop - run quickly
Gnaw - chew repeatedly with teeth
Grunt - make a quiet sound
Hiss - sharp sound made by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth
Lumber - move in a smart, steady way like an elephant
Peep - make the smallest sound possible
Scamper - run around playfully or quickly
Scuttle - quickly run away
Modern Verbs
As times change, so do the words people invent and use. Some of these are old words with new meanings while others are entirely new.
Adulting - acting like a grown up
Bounce - leave
Chill - take it easy
Game - play for a prize
Ghost - stop talking to someone with no notice
Google - look something up on the internet
Hack - get access to illegally
Hover - be suspended over something
Kindle - start something up
Text - send a typed message on a cellphone
Swoop - suddenly arrive somewhere
Silly Words
If you want to add humor to your writing, try out these silly-sounding actions. Wacky actions make any standard sentence sound more fun.
Bamboozle - totally confuse another
Bushwhack - attack quickly without notice
Dilly-dally - delay by wasting time
Jiggle - rapid movement in all directions
Jimmy - break open
Kibitz - chat
Muddle - mix up
Ooze -flow slowly
Plod - walking with heavy steps
Easy to Spell Words
If you need some quick and easy verbs to use to liven up your writing, give these words a try. These words are easy to spell and pronounce.
Dine- to eat
Act- to do something
Add- to combine or join something with something else
Aid- to assist or help
Calm- to pacify
Stomp- to walk or march heavily
Clap- to bring one's hands together
Chat- to talk
In Charge Words
These powerful words can add depth to your writing. Use these words to describe what your take-charge characters are up to.
Challenge- to compete
Conceive- to create or form
Compute- to calculate
Complete- to finish
Command- to given an order or demand
Decide- to select
Delegate- to entrust
Discuss- to talk
Engineer- to design or create
Relaxing Words
Relaxing verbs can be used to describe various mellowing actions. Try the following to add a soothing tone to your writing.
Whether it's your friends, parents, or teachers reading what you write, give them something fun to look at by adding unexpected actions to your work. You'll be more excited about putting words on paper, and they'll be more excited to see what you've been up to!
