Vital Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to say something is the case without providing proof for it

"The report alleges serious misconduct by officials."

"The witness alleged that she had seen the suspect near the crime scene on the night of the robbery."

to wait for something or someone

"They await the bus."

"The excited children eagerly await the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve."

to calculate or determine a value using mathematical operations

"The computer computes data very fast."

"The old calculator is too slow to compute the complex mathematical equations that we need to solve for our physics homework."

to do something to avoid or decrease the harmful or unpleasant effects of something

"Counter the bad effects now."

"The company introduced a new product to counter the aggressive marketing of its main competitor in the industry."

to recognize the difference present between two people or things

"Can you differentiate between these two sounds?"

"It is often difficult to differentiate between identical twins because they look exactly the same."

to get rid of something that is no longer needed

"Do not discard recyclable items in the trash."

"You can discard the old packaging after you have removed the product carefully from the box."

to observe an activity in order to ensure that everything is done properly

"The manager oversees all daily operations here."

"The project manager will oversee the entire construction process to ensure that everything is completed on time and within budget."

to publicly express one's disapproval of something or someone

"The leader denounced the violent protests."

"The activist stood up to denounce the government's unjust policies during the public rally."

to raise someone or something to a higher rank or better position

"The promotion will elevate his status."

"The new position will elevate her status within the company and give her more decision making authority."

to describe something better, larger, worse, etc. than it truly is

"Do not exaggerate the problem."

"My younger brother tends to exaggerate everything that happens to him so I never know if his stories are actually true or not."

to improve something by adding something to it

"She supplements her income with freelance work."

"She works part time as a tutor to supplement her income from her main job as a teacher."

to give permission for the use, practice, or production of something through a formal agreement

"The state licenses all professional drivers."

"The government requires all doctors to license their practice every two years to ensure they maintain high professional standards."

to make someone do something because it is required by law, duty, etc.

"Law will oblige them."

"The new legislation will oblige all businesses to provide accessible facilities for people with disabilities."

to think about something or someone all the time, in a way that makes one unable to think about other things

"Do not obsess over your past mistakes."

"Some people obsess over small details and spend hours trying to make everything absolutely perfect."

to describe an event, experience, etc to someone in a detailed manner

"She recounts her adventures to eager listeners."

"The survivor was asked to recount the terrifying events of the accident for the official police report."

to make something steady and prevent it from fluctuating

"The medication stabilizes his blood pressure quickly."

"The doctor gave the patient medication to stabilize his heart rate and prevent further complications from the condition."

to give good reasons to justify a particular action

"This warrants praise."

"His exceptional performance on the project certainly warrants a significant promotion and a raise."

to firmly stick to something

"Please adhere to rules."

"It is imperative that all participants strictly adhere to the established safety protocols during the experiment."

to think or say that something is caused by a certain thing

"We attribute his success to hard work."

"The scientist attributes her success to years of hard work and the support of her dedicated research team."

to suddenly and violently break open or apart, particularly as a result of internal pressure

"The dam burst from pressure."

"The balloon burst with a loud pop when the child squeezed it too hard with his small hands."

to bring an action, activity, or process to an end

"The company ceases production of that model."

"The rain finally ceased after three continuous days of heavy downpour that flooded many low lying areas."

to describe the qualities of someone or something in a certain manner

"How would you characterize his leadership style?"

"The critic characterized the film as a slow moving drama with excellent acting but a weak and predictable plot."

to produce a plan, idea, etc. in one's mind

"She conceived a brilliant idea suddenly."

"It is very difficult for most people to conceive what life was like before the invention of the internet and smartphones existed."

to choose someone for a certain position or task

"She will designate a leader."

"The committee will designate a new leader for the upcoming project next week."

to make a substance one with a liquid

"Sugar dissolves easily in hot tea."

"Sugar will easily dissolve in hot tea but it takes much longer to dissolve in cold water completely."

to conduct a thorough examination or investigation to gather information

"We must inquire about this."

"The detective decided to inquire further into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the disappearance."

to decrease in degree, size, etc.

"The noise slowly diminished over time."

"The sound of the train gradually diminished as it traveled further away from the station until it could no longer be heard."

to become more in degree or strength

"The storm will intensify soon."

"The storm is expected to intensify as it moves over the warmer ocean waters tonight."

to become much worse or more intense

"The fight will escalate."

"Without intervention, the minor disagreement between the neighbors began to escalate into a serious feud."

to thoughtfully prepare or create something, paying close attention to its details

"Let's formulate a plan."

"The committee worked diligently to formulate a comprehensive strategy for improving public transportation."

to become more severe

"The pain will heighten."

"The sudden storm served to heighten the sense of unease felt by the stranded hikers."

to stop the normal flow of something, often temporarily

"The storm disrupts air travel for days."

"The loud construction noise outside the window disrupted my concentration and I could not finish my work on time."

to prevent or limit an action or process

"Fear can inhibit personal growth."

"Fear of failure can inhibit people from pursuing their dreams and taking necessary risks in life."

to destroy something completely

"The fire devastated the forest."

"The unexpected death of his wife devastated the old man and he never really recovered from the loss."

to continue a course of action with determination, even when faced with challenges or discouragement

"Rain persists throughout the entire weekend."

"The pain in his knee persisted for several weeks despite taking painkillers and resting the injured joint."

to provide someone with something, such as help or services, especially as required or expected

"He will render aid."

"The skilled lawyer will render expert legal advice to help the client navigate the complex case."

to give someone something that one has enough of

"Can you spare a few dollars please?"

"The kind soldier spared the prisoner's life because he could not bring himself to kill an unarmed man."

to be in charge of someone or an activity and watch them to make sure everything is done properly

"The teacher supervises the exam hall."

"The manager needs to supervise the team closely until everyone learns how to do their jobs properly."

to support an opinion, argument, theory, etc. or to prove it's credibility

"We sustain our argument."

"The scientist presented compelling evidence to sustain her groundbreaking theory about cellular regeneration."

to stop or end something completely

"The company terminates the employee's contract immediately."

"The company decided to terminate the employee's contract because of repeated violations of workplace safety rules."