Verbs are essential to making our sentences come alive—they describe actions, events, or states of being, and without them, communication would be incomplete. Today, we’re diving into a fascinating topic: verbs that start with the letter A. By mastering these verbs, you can add precision, energy, and clarity to your writing and speaking. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your vocabulary for academic writing, storytelling, or day-to-day conversations, these action-packed words will do wonders. Let’s explore these verbs, their meanings, and how you can use them effectively!
Definition of Verbs
A verb is a word that expresses an action, event, or state of being. It’s the driving force of a sentence, showing what the subject does or experiences. Think of verbs as the engines of language—they give motion and meaning to ideas. For example:
- Run: The action of moving swiftly on foot.
- Speak: The action of conveying thoughts using words.
- Create: The action of bringing something into existence.
- Love: The feeling or state of deep affection.
These verbs are the heart of their sentences, making the ideas clearer and more impactful. Now, let’s take a closer look at some verbs that start with A and how they can help you communicate more effectively.
38 List of Verbs That Start With A
| Verb | Synonym | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Abandon | Desert | “He abandoned his old house.” |
| Accelerate | Hasten | “The car accelerated down the highway.” |
| Accept | Embrace | “She accepted the invitation to the party.” |
| Achieve | Accomplish | “They achieved their goals by working hard.” |
| Activate | Trigger | “The button will activate the machine.” |
| Admire | Appreciate | “I admire her dedication to helping others.” |
| Adopt | Embrace | “They decided to adopt a child.” |
| Adore | Love | “He adores his grandmother.” |
| Advance | Progress | “The team advanced to the finals.” |
| Advise | Recommend | “She advised him to be cautious.” |
| Affect | Influence | “The weather can affect your mood.” |
| Afford | Have enough | “I can’t afford to buy a new phone right now.” |
| Agree | Consent | “We agreed on the terms of the contract.” |
| Aim | Target | “He aimed carefully before shooting.” |
| Alarm | Startle | “The loud noise alarmed everyone in the room.” |
| Alleviate | Relieve | “This medicine will alleviate your headache.” |
| Allow | Permit | “The teacher allowed the students extra time.” |
| Amaze | Astonish | “Her performance will amaze the audience.” |
| Amend | Modify | “They amended the document before signing.” |
| Analyze | Examine | “We need to analyze the data carefully.” |
| Announce | Declare | “He announced his retirement last week.” |
| Appear | Show up | “She suddenly appeared at the party.” |
| Applaud | Cheer | “The audience applauded his incredible speech.” |
| Apply | Use | “You should apply for the job if you’re interested.” |
| Appoint | Assign | “He was appointed as the team leader.” |
| Approach | Approach | “I will approach him about the project.” |
| Approve | Agree | “The board approved the new policy.” |
| Argue | Dispute | “They argued about the best route to take.” |
| Arise | Emerge | “A new opportunity has arisen.” |
| Arrange | Organize | “She arranged the books by color.” |
| Arrest | Detain | “The police arrested the suspect.” |
| Ascend | Climb | “The hiker ascended the steep mountain.” |
| Aspire | Desire | “She aspires to become a famous scientist.” |
| Attack | Assault | “They attacked the castle at dawn.” |
| Attempt | Try | “He attempted to solve the puzzle.” |
| Attend | Participate | “I will attend the meeting tomorrow.” |
| Attract | Draw | “The flowers attract bees with their scent.” |
26 Positive Verbs That Start With A
| Verb | Description (with synonyms) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Abandon | To leave behind, often after an emotional attachment (desert, forsake) | “She abandoned her fear and embraced the challenge.” |
| Achieve | To successfully reach a goal (accomplish, attain) | “They achieved their dream of owning a home.” |
| Admire | To regard with respect or affection (appreciate, adore) | “I admire her ability to stay calm in tough situations.” |
| Advise | To offer suggestions or recommendations (recommend, counsel) | “I advise you to take a break if you’re feeling stressed.” |
| Alleviate | To reduce or ease something (relieve, ease) | “This medicine will alleviate your symptoms.” |
| Amaze | To surprise greatly (astonish, stun) | “The magician’s tricks amazed the audience.” |
| Allow | To permit or enable (permit, grant) | “She allowed her friend to use her laptop.” |
| Appreciate | To recognize the value of something (value, cherish) | “I truly appreciate all your hard work.” |
| Aspire | To strive for something great (desire, long for) | “He aspires to be a renowned artist.” |
| Attack | To aggressively confront (assault, strike) | “The soldiers attacked the fortress with full force.” |
| Attract | To draw something toward oneself (charm, allure) | “The new design attracts a lot of attention.” |
| Announce | To make something known publicly (declare, proclaim) | “The company announced the launch of their new product.” |
| Apply | To make use of something (use, implement) | “She applied her knowledge of biology to solve the problem.” |
| Ascend | To rise or climb upwards (climb, soar) | “The plane ascended rapidly into the sky.” |
| Attain | To reach or achieve something (accomplish, reach) | “He attained his goal of running a marathon.” |
| Applaud | To praise or show approval (cheer, clap) | “We all applauded his efforts during the presentation.” |
| Appoint | To assign a role or task (assign, nominate) | “She was appointed as the new manager of the team.” |
| Approve | To accept or give permission (authorize, sanction) | “The board approved the new budget plan.” |
| Argue | To present reasons in favor of something (dispute, debate) | “They argued about the best solution for the problem.” |
| Arise | To emerge or appear (emerge, materialize) | “A new challenge arose during the project.” |
| Attempt | To try something (endeavor, try) | “He attempted to climb the mountain without ropes.” |
| Ascertain | To find out or verify (determine, discover) | “The detective worked hard to ascertain the truth.” |
| Act | To perform an action or behavior (do, perform) | “He decided to act immediately to fix the problem.” |
| Attend | To be present at an event (participate, go to) | “I plan to attend the conference next week.” |
| Appeal | To make a formal request (request, petition) | “She will appeal the court’s decision.” |
- She was eager to __________ her dream of becoming a writer.
- He tried to __________ the traffic by taking a different route.
- The teacher will __________ the students before the exam.
- The movie’s special effects will __________ the audience.
- I have always wanted to __________ a new language.
- They decided to __________ the old policies to improve efficiency.
- We need to __________ the situation before making any decisions.
- He managed to __________ all obstacles and finish the race first.
- She hopes to __________ her career in the medical field.
- I can’t __________ whether he’ll attend the party tomorrow.
- The children were excited to __________ the new playground.
- He worked hard to __________ his reputation after the scandal.
- The sun will __________ in a few minutes.
- The manager will __________ the project by next week.
- The teacher will __________ the students who are struggling.
- I __________ to start a new project after finishing this one.
- They will __________ the new policies next week.
- He failed to __________ the math problem during the test.
- I __________ you to finish the assignment by Friday.
- She asked if anyone would __________ her in organizing the event.
Answers:
- achieve
- avoid
- advise
- amaze
- adopt
- amend
- analyze
- overcome
- advance
- ascertain
- approach
- repair
- arise
- ascend
- assist
- aspire
- apply
- attempt
- advise
- assist
20 MCQ Exercises on Verbs That Start with A
- Which of the following verbs means “to increase speed”?
a) Accelerate
b) Adopt
c) Argue
d) Announce - What does the verb “adopt” mean?
a) To argue
b) To take something on as one’s own
c) To ascend
d) To avoid - Which verb is synonymous with “to analyze”?
a) Announce
b) Apply
c) Assess
d) Amaze - What is the meaning of the verb “ascend”?
a) To move downward
b) To agree
c) To climb or rise
d) To assist - Which verb means “to provide help”?
a) Apply
b) Assist
c) Approve
d) Argue - Which verb means “to express admiration”?
a) Advance
b) Applaud
c) Attack
d) Arrange - What does “abandon” mean?
a) To accept
b) To leave behind
c) To agree
d) To attempt - The verb “ascertain” means to:
a) Guess
b) Examine and find out
c) Argue
d) Assist - Which verb means “to start something new”?
a) Arrive
b) Aspire
c) Adopt
d) Alarm - What does the verb “advise” mean?
a) To avoid
b) To suggest or recommend
c) To announce
d) To apply - Which of the following is a verb that means “to rise”?
a) Announce
b) Arise
c) Applyd) Applaud - Which verb means “to move forward”?
a) Approach
b) Ascend
c) Activate
d) Advance - What does the verb “argue” mean?
a) To discuss or debate
b) To help
c) To advise
d) To apply - Which verb means “to evaluate”?
a) Approve
b) Assess
c) Amaze
d) Apply - What does the verb “amend” mean?
a) To adopt
b) To change or fix
c) To accelerate
d) To aspire - Which verb means “to cause to become”?
a) Apply
b) Adopt
c) Affect
d) Assist - What does the verb “attract” mean?
a) To repel
b) To draw or pull towards
c) To avoid
d) To abandon - Which of these verbs means “to stop or interrupt”?
a) Apply
b) Ascend
c) Arrest
d) Aspire - What does the verb “afford” mean?
a) To provide
b) To possess the means for something
c) To improve
d) To argue - Which verb means “to bring about or cause something”?
a) Adopt
b) Apply
c) Advance
d) Affect
Answers:
- a) Accelerate
- b) To take something on as one’s own
- c) Assess
- c) To climb or rise
- b) Assist
- b) Applaud
- b) To leave behind
- b) Examine and find out
- c) Adopt
- b) To suggest or recommend
- b) Arise
- d) Advance
- a) To discuss or debate
- b) Assess
- b) To change or fix
- c) Affect
- b) To draw or pull towards
- c) Arrest
- b) To possess the means for something
- d) Affect
FAQs on Verbs That Start With A
What are some common verbs that start with A?
There are many verbs that begin with the letter “A,” including achieve, adopt, analyze, aspire, and advance. Each of these verbs plays an important role in communication, allowing us to express actions, intentions, or desires. For example, “achieve” means to reach a goal, and “adopt” refers to taking something on as your own, like adopting a new habit or a pet. Mastering these verbs can significantly improve both your writing and speaking.
How can I use verbs like “advance” and “aspire” in sentences?
Verbs like advance and aspire are often used to express progress or aspiration. For instance, “advance” can mean to move forward or improve in position, such as “She advanced to the next level in her career.” “Aspire” refers to a strong desire to achieve something, as in “He aspires to be a renowned author.” These verbs are powerful tools in expressing goals and forward movement in life or work.
Why is mastering verbs that start with A important?
Mastering verbs that start with A helps to diversify your vocabulary and improve your communication. These verbs are often used to describe essential actions or processes in both professional and personal contexts. By learning how to use them correctly, you can add clarity and strength to your writing and speech. For instance, verbs like adopt and analyze are crucial in decision-making processes or discussions.
How do I identify a verb in a sentence?
To identify a verb, look for the word that shows action or connects the subject to more information. In the sentence “She runs every morning,” the verb “runs” shows the action. In the sentence “He is happy,” the verb “is” links the subject to its description. Identifying the verb is key to understanding the structure and meaning of the sentence.
Conclusion
Verbs that start with A are incredibly versatile and can help you express a wide range of actions, emotions, and intentions. From achieving goals to advancing in your career, mastering these verbs can greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively. Keep practicing and experimenting with these verbs to add more energy and precision to your writing and speaking.