Necessary Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to tightly and closely hold someone in one's arms, typically a person one loves

"She will hug her mother tightly."

"The little girl ran to hug her father as soon as he walked through the front door after work."

to have a strong effect on someone or something

"The new law impacts small businesses greatly."

"The new tax law will directly impact low income families who are already struggling to make ends meet."

to have an effect on a particular person or thing

"Media can influence public opinion."

"Parents have a strong influence on their children's values but peers also play an important role."

to use a heated appliance to straighten and smooth wrinkles and creases from fabric

"She irons her clothes every morning."

"You need to iron your shirt before the meeting because it is very wrinkled from being in the suitcase."

to be without or to not have enough of something that is needed or desirable

"He lacks confidence in his abilities."

"The report lacks sufficient evidence to support its claims about the effectiveness of the new drug."

to make something dirty or some place untidy

"Don't mess the floor."

"The children managed to mess the entire kitchen with flour and sugar."

to make a person do something through reasoning or other methods

"She tried to persuade her friend."

"The salesman tried to persuade the customer to buy the more expensive model by highlighting its additional features."

to personally be involved in and understand a particular situation, event, etc.

"Travel abroad to experience new cultures."

"Everyone should experience the feeling of standing on top of a mountain after a difficult climb at least once in their lives."

to deal with a given situation, especially an unpleasant one

"You must face your fears."

"Young people today face many challenges when trying to find stable employment after graduating from university."

to bend something in a way that one part of it touches or covers another

"Fold the letter into an envelope."

"You need to fold the laundry immediately after it dries so that nothing gets wrinkled or messy."

to make someone behave a certain way or do a particular action, even if they do not want to

"Do not force him to go."

"The heavy rain forced the cancellation of the outdoor concert which disappointed thousands of ticket holders."

to physically take an object and give it to someone

"She hands the keys to him."

"Please hand me the salt shaker from the table because the food needs more seasoning."

to attach something to a higher point so that it is supported from above and can swing freely

"Please hang the picture."

"She decided to hang the ornate chandelier from the center of the high ceiling."

to move toward a particular direction

"He heads toward the nearest exit."

"We decided to head toward the beach instead of going to the mountains for our vacation."

to tell someone to wait or pause what they are doing momentarily

"Hold on, please wait."

"Could you hold on for a moment while I find the correct document?"

to intentionally pay no or little attention to someone or something

"Ignore the negative comments online."

"It is sometimes better to ignore rude comments rather than responding and escalating the situation further."

to show, point out, or suggest the existence, presence, or nature of something

"The sign indicates the correct direction."

"The arrows on the floor indicate the direction of the emergency exit in case of a fire."

to stick or put something such as tag or marker, with a little information written on it, on an object

"She labels each box with a marker."

"Please label each box clearly with its contents before you move them to the storage room."

to carefully place something or someone down in a horizontal position

"Lay the book down."

"The construction workers will lay the foundation for the new building next week if the weather permits."

to not let something increase in amount or number

"Limit your screen time daily."

"You should limit your screen time to two hours per day to protect your eyesight and mental health."

to combine two or more distinct substances or elements to form a unified whole

"Mix the ingredients in a bowl."

"Mix the flour sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until the batter becomes smooth and free of lumps."

to observe and pay attention to something

"Note the time carefully."

"The teacher asked the students to carefully note the important dates on the syllabus."

to come to be or take place, especially unexpectedly or naturally

"Accidents occur when people are careless."

"The accident occurred at the intersection because the driver did not stop at the red light."

to lay or put something somewhere

"She places the vase on the table."

"Please place the vase on the table carefully because it is very fragile and could break easily."

to give a substance containing toxins or harmful elements to a person or animal with the intention of causing illness, harm, or death

"Some chemicals poison the drinking water supply."

"The factory was accused of trying to poison the river with dangerous chemical waste from its production process."

to make a container's liquid flow out of it

"Pour the milk now."

"Could you please pour some water into my glass while I'm busy?"

to push a thing tightly against something else

"Press the button hard."

"You need to press the correct sequence of buttons to unlock the security system."

to make or arrange a plan for a series of events, activities, etc. for a specific purpose or audience

"We will program the event."

"The organizers will program a series of workshops to cater to diverse professional interests."

to show that something is true through the use of evidence or facts

"Evidence proves his innocence completely."

"The lawyer tried to prove that his client was innocent by presenting new evidence to the court."

to meet the needed requirements or conditions to be considered suitable for a particular role, status, benefit, etc.

"She will qualify for school."

"She needs to pass the final exam to qualify for the advanced level course next semester."

(of a surface) to redirect or bounce back heat, light, or sound without absorbing it

"The mirror will reflect."

"The polished surface of the lake will reflect the stunning mountain scenery."

to make or show a logical connection between two things

"His story relates to our situation."

"I can easily relate to his story because I had a very similar experience when I was young."

to let go of something being held

"Release the bird now."

"The bird was injured, so the veterinarian decided to release it back into the wild."

to stay in the place one has been for some time

"The problem remains unsolved for now."

"The old building will remain standing for many more years despite its age and poor condition."

to make a person remember an obligation, task, etc. so that they do not forget to do it

"Remind me to call."

"Can you remind me to pick up the dry cleaning on my way home today?"

to be an image, sign, symbol, etc. of something

"The flag represents our country."

"The colors of the flag represent different values such as courage peace and justice for all citizens."

to become hard or turn to ice because of reaching or going below 0° Celsius

"Freeze the leftovers for later use."

"You can freeze leftover soup in small containers so you have an easy meal ready whenever you are busy."