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