Active Verbs

Active Verbs for Discussing Ideas

Use these lists for word variation when writing a research-based, analytical, or argumentative paper. However, be careful: there are no perfect synonyms. These words are not necessarily interchangeable.

“Says”	“Shows”	“Considers”	“Collects”	“Determines”	“Agrees”	“Disagrees”	“Changes“
adds	alerts	addresses	assembles	ascertains	accepts	abolishes	abandons
advises	accentuates	analyzes	builds	assesses	acknowledges	assaults	affects
advocates	categorizes	answers	catalogs	concludes	admires	challenges	alters
announces	clarifies	applies	cites	confirms	admits	charges	assumes
argues	demonstrates	asks	combines	decides	affirms	complains	changes
asserts	depicts	attends to	compiles	discovers	allows	condemns	cheapens
cautions	describes	bears in mind	composes	envisions	approves	confronts	complicates
claims	details	concerns	computes	establishes	assists	contests	conflates
comments	displays	contemplates	constructs	evaluates	authorizes	contradicts	confuses
contends	exposes	deals with	counts	finds	backs	criticizes	controls
convinces	expresses	defines	creates	formulates	believes	critiques	diminishes
declares	facilitates	deliberates	enumerates	identifies	buttresses	defeats	distorts
demands	foreshadows	delineates	erects	infers	concedes	defies	exaggerates
emphasizes	foretells	delves into	finds	judges	concurs	deflates	excuses
explains	highlights	develops	forms	interprets	condones	denies	fails
holds	hints	discusses	furnishes	reckons	confirms	disconfirms	forgets
informs	illuminates	examines	guides	regards	consents	disputes	garbles
insists	illustrates	expands on	itemizes	resolves	defends	disregards	generalizes
maintains	implies	experiences	lists	settles on	endorses	disproves	idealizes
makes the case	indicates	experiments	makes	verifies	grants	doubts	ignores
narrates	informs	expounds on	measures	compares	praises	fights	imagines
notifies	insinuates	explores	names	conjectures	preserves	hesitates	inflates
offers	intimates	handles	numbers	contrasts	protects	knocks down	influences
points out	means	initiates	organizes	deems	proves	negates	justifies
proposes	notifies	inquires	outlines	distinguishes	ratifies	objects	lets pass
remarks	observes	investigates	pieces together	hypothesizes	respects	rebuts	misleads
replies	persuades	mulls over	puts up	judges	supports	refutes	misrepresents
reports	portrays	notes	quotes	perceives	validates	rejects	misses
responds	presages	parses	raises	postulates	verifies	renounces	neglects
retains	presents	ponders	structures	rationalizes		repudiates	overlooks
shares	provides	puts forward	summarizes	reads		retorts	oversimplifies
specifies	qualifies	questions	supplements	reasons		takes apart	reduces
spells out	reconciles	reconsiders	surveys	regards		topples	resigns
states	refers to	reviews	synthesizes	regards			shifts
stipulates	reflects	searches	tallies	sees			simplifies
stresses	represents	takes into account	traces	suggests			substitutes
submits	reveals	tests		theorizes			surrenders
suggests	signifies	thinks		thinks			toys with
tells	uncovers	treats		views			twists
urges	underlines	wonders
warns	underscores

Explanation and Examples

Why should I vary my verb choice?

Mark Twain once remarked, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” Stronger diction (word choice) can result in a more interesting, vibrant, and sophisticated-sounding paper, but, more importantly, it will lead to clearer and more precise communication to your reader. Experiment with different words to discover and then state exactly what you mean!

What are the functions of these kinds of verbs?

The verbs on this handout offer a stronger link between your ideas and your source material. While these kinds of verbs introduce the supporting ideas and information, they also begin to indicate the relationship the quoted or paraphrased source material has with your larger point.

Bland and generic: Carol Dweck says, “It is the belief that intelligence can be developed that opens students to a love of learning.”
A more specific connection: Carol Dweck suggests, “It is the belief that intelligence can be developed that opens students to a love of learning.”
A stronger point argued: Carol Dweck emphasizes, “It is the belief that intelligence can be developed that opens students to a love of learning.”
The final, summative point: Carol Dweck concludes, “It is the belief that intelligence can be developed that opens students to a love of learning.”

See the differences? Still, you should be careful to explain this significance or relevance more completely after using the source material.

You might imagine this like a “sandwich” within your paragraph. There might be several of these “sandwiches” within one body paragraph:

Signal phrase or sentence with an active verb to introduce the source material (sometimes called a “lead-in”).
Source material either paraphrased or directly quoted.
Explanation of the significance / connection between that material and your larger point.

Here are some models that show effective ways of creating that “top bun” of your “sandwich.” It would be followed by more evidence form you source, either paraphrased or quoted (middle layer), and then concluded with explanation of the source material’s significance (“bottom bun”):

Paraphrase of Source Material:
- In his book The Status Syndrome, Jon Marmot hypothesizes that social class determines life outcomes (35).
Summary of the Whole Source:
- Paul Sawyer argues that geothermal energy is a wise alternative by highlighting several of its environmental and economic benefits (21-30).
Lead in to a Direct Quote:
- In the article “Impossibilities,” a professional educator ponders, “How does one teach when no one wants to learn?” (Inayatullah 151).
Longer lead-in to a Direct Quote (two separate independent clauses):
- In the article “Impossibilities,” a professional educator investigates a compelling question: “How does one teach when no one wants to learn?” (Inayatullah 151).

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Active Verbs for Discussing Ideas

Explanation and Examples

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