Verbs That Start With D: Examples and Exercises

Verbs are the heart of communication, adding action, emotion, and meaning to our sentences. When it comes to verbs that start with D, there’s a wealth of options that can help you articulate ideas clearly and effectively. Whether you’re describing an action, a state of being, or a process, verbs like decide, deliver, and dare offer powerful ways to express your thoughts. In this article, we’ll dive into verbs that start with D, explore their meanings, see them in action through examples, and practice with exercises that will help you use them confidently in your writing and speaking.

Definition of a Verb

A verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. It’s one of the core parts of speech in English that helps provide structure and clarity to a sentence. Without verbs, sentences would lack purpose and become incomplete.

For example:

• Dance: To move rhythmically to music.
  • Example sentence: “They decided to dance at the wedding reception.”
• Decide: To make a choice or come to a conclusion.
  • Example sentence: “He needs to decide whether to accept the job offer.”
• Deliver: To bring or hand over something.
  • Example sentence: “The courier will deliver the package tomorrow.”
• Dare: To have the courage to do something.
  • Example sentence: “She wouldn’t dare to speak out against her boss.”

Verbs are essential for communicating actions, decisions, and states of being, making them an integral part of sentence construction. Now let’s explore a list of verbs that start with D to expand your vocabulary!

42 Verbs That Start With D

Verb	Synonym	Examples
Dance	Sway	“They will dance together at the party.”
Decide	Choose	“He had to decide on the best course of action.”
Deliver	Bring	“The letter will deliver the news to the family.”
Dare	Challenge	“She wouldn’t dare to go into the haunted house.”
Destroy	Ruin	“The tornado will destroy the town.”
Deny	Reject	“She will deny the accusation.”
Develop	Create	“The team will develop a new product next year.”
Defend	Protect	“He will defend his country against the invaders.”
Dream	Imagine	“She likes to dream of traveling the world.”
Debate	Discuss	“They will debate the topic of climate change.”
Demand	Request	“She will demand a response from the manager.”
Draw	Sketch	“The artist will draw a portrait of the queen.”
Dive	Plunge	“He decided to dive into the pool from the high board.”
Decrease	Diminish	“Sales have begun to decrease this quarter.”
Doubt	Question	“I doubt that he will finish the project on time.”
Dazzle	Impress	“Her performance will dazzle the audience.”
Decorate	Adorn	“They will decorate the house for the holidays.”
Drive	Propel	“He will drive across the country this summer.”
Drift	Float	“The boat will drift down the river.”
Discard	Dispose	“Please discard the old papers.”
Donate	Contribute	“They will donate the books to the library.”
Deflate	Flatten	“The tire will deflate after hitting the nail.”
Disturb	Disrupt	“Please do not disturb me while I’m working.”
Discover	Find	“He will discover the truth in time.”
Depend	Rely	“You can always depend on your friends.”
Dance	Boogie	“They decided to dance to the rhythm of the music.”
Depict	Portray	“The painting will depict a beautiful sunset.”
Distribute	Allocate	“They will distribute the food to the community.”
Drive	Steer	“He loves to drive his sports car fast.”
Dazzle	Astonish	“The fireworks display will dazzle the crowd.”
Detect	Discover	“He will detect the problem with the machine.”
Disprove	Refute	“He will disprove the rumors about his actions.”
Drench	Soak	“The rain will drench the ground by evening.”
Damage	Harm	“The storm will damage the roof of the house.”
Dare	Risk	“Do you dare to speak the truth?”
Demand	Ask	“The workers will demand better pay.”
Design	Create	“He plans to design a new website for the company.”
Declare	Announce	“She will declare her decision publicly.”
Deflate	Let out	“The balloon will deflate after being popped.”
Duct	Fasten	“You should duct the cables together neatly.”

30 Positive Verbs That Start With D

Verb	Description (with synonyms)	Example Sentence
Delight	To bring joy or pleasure (please, gratify)	“Her smile will delight everyone in the room.”
Deliver	To bring or carry to a destination (bring, provide)	“She will deliver the message to the board of directors.”
Dream	To envision or imagine (envision, fantasize)	“I dream of traveling around the world someday.”
Dare	To have the courage to do something (challenge, risk)	“He wouldn’t dare to break the rules.”
Develop	To improve or grow (enhance, cultivate)	“We aim to develop a new app by next year.”
Decide	To make a choice (choose, determine)	“They have to decide on the project deadline.”
Defend	To protect or guard (shield, safeguard)	“I will always defend my family and friends.”
Delight	To fill with happiness (please, enchant)	“The new gift will delight everyone at the party.”
Design	To create or plan (shape, plan)	“They will design a new logo for the company.”
Build	To construct or create (construct, form)	“We will build a stronger foundation for the house.”
Balance	To make stable (steady, equalize)	“She will balance her work and personal life well.”
Brighten	To make lighter or cheerier (illuminate, cheer)	“The fresh flowers will brighten up the room.”
Bless	To confer divine favor (sanctify, favor)	“They will bless the food before the dinner.”
Brag	To boast (show off, gloat)	“She tends to brag about her achievements.”
Bring	To carry to a place (fetch, deliver)	“Can you bring me the keys, please?”
Bond	To form a close connection (unite, connect)	“They will bond over shared interests.”
Boost	To raise or increase (enhance, lift)	“The new strategy will boost our sales.”
Believe	To accept as true (trust, have faith)	“I truly believe in your abilities.”
Beautify	To make more beautiful (decorate, adorn)	“She plans to beautify the garden with new flowers.”
Bless	To make something holy (sanctify, consecrate)	“The priest will bless the couple’s new home.”
Become	To change into or grow into (transform, develop)	“He will become a successful entrepreneur.”
Bend	To flex or curve (twist, bow)	“You need to bend the wire to fit it in place.”
Bind	To tie or fasten (tie, attach)	“She will bind the book with a leather cover.”
Brighten	To make more vivid or cheerful (lighten, illuminate)	“The new curtains will brighten up the living room.”
Build	To create or assemble (construct, form)	“They plan to build a new bridge across the river.”
Dare	To challenge (risk, confront)	“She wouldn’t dare to ask for a raise.”
Discover	To find out or learn (find, uncover)	“He will discover the hidden treasure soon.”
Donate	To give or contribute (offer, provide)	“She will donate clothes to the shelter.”
Defend	To protect from harm (shield, guard)	“He promised to defend the city from invaders.”

20 Exercises on Verbs That Start with D

1. She will _______ the new book tomorrow. (read)
2. He plans to _______ the documents later. (deliver)
3. The police had to _______ the suspects in the investigation. (defend)
4. I can’t _______ how happy I am right now. (describe)
5. She decided to _______ a new hobby. (take up)
6. He’s going to _______ the company’s future. (design)
7. The teacher will _______ the student’s question. (answer)
8. Can you _______ this box for me? (carry)
9. We need to _______ the meeting until next week. (postpone)
10. They will _______ a new law by the end of the year. (enact)
11. He had to _______ his fears and take the plunge. (confront)
12. The soldiers will _______ the fort against the enemy. (defend)
13. I always try to _______ a positive attitude. (maintain)
14. They promised to _______ the charity with food donations. (help)
15. We will _______ our final decision after lunch. (make)
16. She began to _______ new ways to improve her business. (explore)
17. The artist wants to _______ her masterpiece. (complete)
18. I need to _______ the right time to make my move. (find)
19. We should _______ the project before the deadline. (finish)
20. They decided to _______ the old books to the library. (donate)

 

 

Answer Key:

1. read
2. deliver
3. defend
4. describe
5. take up
6. design
7. answer
8. carry
9. postpone
10. enact
11. confront
12. defend
13. maintain
14. help
15. make
16. explore
17. complete
18. find
19. finish
20. donate

20 Multiple-Choice Questions on Verbs That Start with D

1. What is the past tense of “draw”?

A) Drawed
B) Drew
C) Drawn
D) Draws

2. Which verb means to refuse politely or decrease in value?

A) Delay
B) Decline
C) Develop
D) Dismiss

3. What does the verb “dazzle” mean?

A) To make someone feel sleepy
B) To shine brightly or impress greatly
C) To damage something permanently
D) To take something away

4. Which verb means to completely destroy something?

A) Decorate
B) Delay
C) Devastate
D) Delight

5. What is the past participle of “do”?

A) Did
B) Done
C) Doing
D) Does

6. Which verb means to reduce or make smaller?

A) Diminish
B) Delight
C) Develop
D) Duplicate

7. What does “dictate” mean?

A) To write an article
B) To speak or command with authority
C) To erase a message
D) To travel frequently

8. Which verb means to notice or discover something?

A) Detect
B) Delete
C) Designate
D) Drown

9. What does “dwell” mean?

A) To destroy completely
B) To live in a place or think deeply about something
C) To travel far from home
D) To work continuously

10. Which verb means to move downward?

A) Deliver
B) Decline
C) Descend
D) Determine

11. What does “devote” mean?

A) To dedicate time or effort to something
B) To postpone an event
C) To take something away
D) To destroy completely

12. Which verb means to distribute or spread something widely?

A) Dedicate
B) Designate
C) Disperse
D) Dismantle

13. What does “deter” mean?

A) To prevent or discourage an action
B) To encourage someone
C) To speed up a process
D) To guide someone

14. What is the meaning of “dabble”?

A) To deeply study a subject
B) To casually take part in an activity
C) To ignore something
D) To work as a professional

15. Which verb means to take away someone’s property legally?

A) Dictate
B) Dismiss
C) Disclose
D) Dispossess

16. What does “deprive” mean?

A) To give someone extra benefits
B) To take something away from someone
C) To promote a person
D) To encourage someone

17. Which verb means to legally or officially remove someone from a position?

A) Delight
B) Delay
C) Dismiss
D) Destroy

18. What does “defy” mean?

A) To challenge or resist authority
B) To explain in detail
C) To divide into sections
D) To follow orders

19. Which verb means to copy something exactly?

A) Determine
B) Duplicate
C) Document
D) Discover

20. What does “demolish” mean?

A) To build something new
B) To completely destroy something
C) To make something grow
D) To organize items neatly

Answer Key

1 – B) Drew
2 – B) Decline
3 – B) To shine brightly or impress greatly
4 – C) Devastate
5 – B) Done
6 – A) Diminish
7 – B) To speak or command with authority
8 – A) Detect
9 – B) To live in a place or think deeply about something
10 – C) Descend
11 – A) To dedicate time or effort to something
12 – C) Disperse
13 – A) To prevent or discourage an action
14 – B) To casually take part in an activity
15 – D) Dispossess
16 – B) To take something away from someone
17 – C) Dismiss
18 – A) To challenge or resist authority
19 – B) Duplicate
20 – B) To completely destroy something

FAQs on Verbs That Start with D

What are some examples of verbs that start with D?

Examples of verbs that start with D include words like decide, dance, defend, deliver, and dream. These verbs help us express actions and decisions. For example, “I decide to go on a trip” or “She will dance at the party.” Using these verbs allows you to communicate actions, intentions, and choices in a more expressive way.

How do I use verbs like “dare” and “decide” in a sentence?

The verb dare is often used to express courage or challenge, such as in “I dare you to speak the truth.” On the other hand, decide is used when you are making a choice or conclusion, like in “She will decide what to wear for the event.” These verbs add power and clarity to your expressions, emphasizing action or decision-making.

Why are verbs like “dare” and “dream” important?

Verbs like dare and dream are essential because they reflect personal actions and inner processes. Dare expresses courage or risk-taking, while dream communicates desires and aspirations. Both verbs help convey not just physical actions but also emotional or mental states, making them critical for deeper communication.

Can a sentence exist without a verb?

No, a complete sentence in English typically requires a verb to express a clear action or state of being. For instance, “She is happy” is a simple sentence with a linking verb. Without a verb, the sentence would lack meaning. However, in certain informal contexts, such as in imperative sentences (“Go!”), a verb can be implied.

What is the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs?

Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning (e.g., “She delivers the package”). Intransitive verbs, on the other hand, do not require a direct object (e.g., “He dances gracefully”). Understanding the difference is important for constructing grammatically correct sentences.

Conclusion

Mastering verbs that start with D is an excellent way to enhance your vocabulary and communication skills. These verbs are versatile, helping you describe actions, emotions, and decisions with clarity and precision. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll feel comfortable using these verbs in your everyday conversations and writing.