Verbs That Start With H

Verbs are the heavy lifters of the English language. They take the subject of the sentence, usually a noun, and propel it into action. Thanks to verbs, we know that Mary halts or Jude hears. Enjoy a long list of common verbs that start with "h." Use it as a nice supplement to your reading, and watch your vocabulary grow.

50 Verbs Starting With H

One of the best ways to explore various parts of speech is to look at each variety, letter by letter. Check out an alphabetized list of 50 popular "h" verbs, one of their definitions and a few synonyms. It’ll open your mind in new and exciting ways.

Verb	Definition	Synonym
hack	to chop, cut, or damage in a rough or irregular way	butcher, chop, slash
haggle	to bargain on a price	bargain, barter, negotiate
hail	to cheer or greet	address, salute, signal
hallucinate	to perceive things that are not really present	fantasize, envision, visualize
halt	to put a stop to something	block, cease, pause
hamper	to stop or slow someone from doing something	impede, thwart, hinder
handle	to hold or deal with something	cope, manage, operate
hang	to attach something above without any support underneath	suspend, dangle, drape
happen	to take place or occur by chance	occur, take place, befall
harass	to torment or irritate	agitate, annoy, badger
harvest	to gather a crop	cultivate, crop, cull
hasten	to cause something to happen more quickly	accelerate, advance, urge
hatch	to bring forth; create a plan	concoct, contrive, scheme
hate	to feel strong aversion or dislike	detest, abhor, loathe
haul	to pull, drag, or transport something	bring, drag, truck
haunt	to appear as a ghost	spook, materialize, pervade
have	to contain, hold, or own something	bear, obtain, possess
head	to take the lead	direct, oversee, supervise
heal	to make or become healthy	alleviate, cure, mend
hear	to perceive a sound with your ears	catch, detect, perceive
heat	to add warmth to something	warm, cook, sear
heave	to lift something heavy	heft, hoist, launch
heed	to pay close attention to someone or something	notice, hark, hear
help	to provide aid or assistance	aid, assist, boost
hesitate	to pause before deciding, acting, or speaking	vacillate, pause, ponder
hide	to conceal something	conceal, shroud, veil
highlight	to emphasize something	feature, focus, play up
hijack	to take over something that doesn’t belong to you	commandeer, capture, seize
hike	to take a long outdoor walk	backpack, ramble, walk
hinder	to restrain or hold something back	Impede, obstruct, fetter
hire	to employ	employ, retain, take on
hiss	to make the sound of a snake	seethe, buzz, sound
hit	to strike or collide with	bang, bat, bludgeon
hoard	to collect or amass large amounts of goods	accumulate, amass, stockpile
hoist	to raise or lift	boost, crane, uplift
hold	to carry	clutch, grip, retain
hone	to make something more effective, sharpen	edge, sharpen, smooth,
hope	to wish or desire that something will occur	expect, pray, aspire
horrify	to shock or disgust	appall, daunt, shock
host	to invite others	entertain, receive, wine and dine
hover	to be suspended in one spot	float, flutter, hang
howl	to cry out in pain	wail, lament, cry
huddle	to crowd together	assemble, consult, group
hug	to put the arms around and hold closely	caress, cradle, embrace
hum	to make a low, steady sound like a motor	buzz, croon, drone
hunt	to look for or chase	chase, drive, stalk
hurry	to rush, move quickly, or do something faster than is comfortable	hasten, scurry, scoot
hurt	to cause someone to experience pain	injure, afflict, bruise
hurtle	to move very quickly; fling with force	charge, dash, lunge
hypnotize	to put in a trance	captivate, mesmerize, spellbind

10 Example Sentences of Verbs With H

Let’s hop to it. Explore ten of the above verbs that start with "h" in action.

I can’t stand it when she haggles over prices.
This fall, we’re going to harvest a magnificent crop of pumpkins.
We watched three little chicks hatch.
Do you hear that screeching wind?
I love to highlight as I read.
Do not hinder her growth.
Who will hold the candles?
That movie will always horrify me.
Listen to the coyotes howl at the moon.
I saw the car hurtle down the hill.

Types of Verbs

The basic formula for a sentence is subject + verb + direct object. It’s up to verbs to carry out that action. They put the subject of the sentence into motion. In the sentence:

Harry hopped to the harpsichord.

“Harry” is the subject, “hopped” is the verb and “harpsichord” is the direct object. Even though they typically carry out an action, there are many different types of verbs.

action verb - These are verbs that indicate things you can do. In the list, hoist and hunt are action verbs. They’re performing specific actions.
helping verb - These help the main verb of the sentence, extending its meaning. Using an example from the list, if you said, “Harriet is heading to the store,” “is” is the helping verb to the main (action) verb “heading.”
linking verbs - These verbs don’t express an action. They connect the subject of the sentence to additional information. Linking verbs are often “to be” verbs, including “am,” “is,” “are,” and “were.” An example would be, “Stuffed bears have become very huggable.”

For more on the different variations, check out what is a verb to dive deeper into the various forms of verbs.

Hone Your Verb Vocabulary

Reading is indeed the best medicine when seeking to build our vocabulary. Still, a good word list or two can make for an interesting scan and a helpful addition to your prose. Strong and interesting verbs will take your writing to new levels, free from drab verbs. Take a journey through the alphabet with us. Move on to verbs that start with "i" and see how many new words you can add to your memory bank. Or stick with "h" and go beyond verbs to other parts of speech. Discover a comprehensive list of words that start with "h."