Essential Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to officially put an end to a law, activity, or system

"Many countries abolished slavery long ago."

"Many countries have abolished the death penalty because they believe it is a cruel and unusual form of punishment."

to distribute or assign resources, funds, or tasks for a particular purpose

"We allocate funds for projects."

"The company decided to allocate a significant portion of its budget towards research and development for new products."

to officially give permission for a specific action, process, etc.

"The manager will authorize your request."

"Only the bank manager can authorize a transaction that is larger than five thousand dollars at this branch."

to make someone do something

"The law compels citizens to pay taxes."

"The court can compel witnesses to testify by issuing a subpoena that requires their presence in the courtroom."

to carefully cover or hide something or someone

"He conceals the treasure."

"The pirate captain took great care to conceal the buried treasure on the deserted island from any potential thieves."

to design or invent a new thing or method after much thinking

"We devise a solution."

"The team of scientists spent weeks trying to devise a new method for detecting the rare disease accurately."

to put something or someone in the place of another

"Substitute milk for water."

"If you run out of milk, you can substitute it with water in most baking recipes for a lighter texture."

to change the shape or condition of something in a way that is no longer clear or natural

"Heat can distort metal."

"Extreme heat can distort the metal structure, causing it to lose its original shape and integrity over time."

to indirectly suggest something

"She dropped a hint about birthday gift."

"She dropped several hints about what she wanted for her birthday but he did not seem to notice them."

to appear as a large shape that is unclear, particularly in a manner that is threatening

"A large ship looms."

"The dark, imposing silhouette of the ancient castle began to loom ominously against the twilight sky."

to cause someone to become extremely angry or shocked

"The news outrages him."

"The blatant injustice of the verdict deeply outraged the protestors who had gathered outside the courthouse."

to do or say something to make someone stop worrying or less afraid

"The doctor reassured the anxious patient."

"The doctor reassured the anxious patient that the procedure was completely safe and would not cause pain."

to gradually decrease the effectiveness, confidence, or power of something or someone

"His words undermine trust."

"His constant criticism began to undermine her confidence and made her doubt her own abilities."

to make a sincere promise to do or not to do something particular

"He vows to help."

"After the difficult experience, she made a solemn vow to always appreciate the simple things in life."

to impress or surprise someone very much

"The news will astonish them."

"The sheer scale of the ancient ruins was enough to astonish even the most seasoned archaeologists who had seen many wonders."

to intentionally damage or undermine something, often for personal gain or as an act of protest or revenge

"Someone sabotages the factory machinery deliberately."

"The disgruntled employee tried to sabotage the project by deleting important files from the shared computer drive."

to agree with a group, idea, person, or organization and support it

"I align with you."

"It is essential for the new team members to align their strategies with the company's overall vision."

to make adjustments to improve the quality or effectiveness of something

"We will amend the rules."

"The committee decided to amend the proposed legislation to better reflect public concerns and feedback."

to be disloyal to a person, a group of people, or one's country by giving information about them to their enemy

"He will betray them."

"The spy was accused of attempting to betray his country by selling classified information to enemy agents."

to break an agreement, law, etc.

"They breach the law."

"By ignoring the court order, the company was found to have committed a serious breach of legal regulations."

to pay someone for the work they have done

"They compensate workers."

"The company will compensate employees for overtime hours worked during the busy holiday season."

to keep something from change or harm

"Conserve energy for future."

"It is important to conserve natural resources like forests and clean air for the benefit of future generations."

to look at something carefully and think about it for a long time

"I contemplate the future."

"She would often contemplate the vastness of the universe while gazing at the starry night sky."

to provide a meeting, party, etc. with food and drink

"We cater the event."

"The catering company was hired to provide delicious food and drinks for the wedding reception and all its guests."

to prepare land for raising crops or growing plants

"They cultivate the garden."

"The gardeners worked diligently to cultivate the soil, ensuring it was rich and ready for planting a variety of colorful flowers."

to tell someone what to do or not to do, in an authoritative way

"The manager dictated a letter to his secretary."

"The boss tends to dictate every single task to his assistant without any explanation or reason."

to make something known to someone or the public, particularly when it was a secret at first

"The report discloses confidential information."

"The report discloses confidential information about the company's financial situation that was previously unknown to the public."

to represent a quality or belief

"She embodies kindness always."

"The teacher's gentle nature and helpful attitude seemed to embody the very essence of compassion and understanding for her students."

to give someone the power or authorization to do something particular

"Education empowers people to succeed."

"The new law aims to empower local communities by giving them more control over their own resources and decisions."

to give someone the legal right to have or do something particular

"This ticket entitles you to free entry."

"Your receipt will entitle you to a full refund if you return the product within thirty days of purchase."

to take something out from something else, particularly when it is not easy to do

"Extract the juice now."

"The chef carefully used a special tool to extract the fresh juice from the ripe fruit for the delicious smoothie."

to tell someone to do something, particularly in an official manner

"The teacher will instruct."

"The commanding officer will instruct the troops on the new operational procedures and tactics."

to stay somewhere longer because one does not want to leave

"She will linger at the party."

"He decided to linger in the park, enjoying the last moments of the beautiful sunset."

to disappear slowly

"Her memory will fade."

"The vibrant colors of the sunset began to fade as night slowly descended upon the landscape."

to not oppose or prohibit something one does not like or agree with

"I tolerate noise."

"While the new policy was unpopular, the public had to tolerate its implementation for the time being."

to not notice or see something

"I overlook the error."

"Please do not overlook the crucial instructions provided at the beginning of the document."

to once again become noticeable, significant, or problematic

"Old problems resurface often."

"After years of dormancy, the controversial issues began to resurface in public discourse."

to present something old or already used in a slightly different way or with minor alterations, often without adding anything new

"The movie simply rehashes old plot ideas."

"The movie is just a rehash of the original film with different actors and slightly updated special effects."