Verbs That Start With Q

By
, Staff Writer
Updated August 16, 2021
Verbs That Start With Q
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    Verbs That Start With Q
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Have you ever questioned the definition of a verb? Truth is, they're the heavy lifters of the English language. They take the subject of a sentence and move it forward into some sort of action. Or, they link the subject to further information in the sentence. Either way, a world without verbs would be a motionless world. Let's see how many verbs that start with "q" you can find.

Verbs Starting With Q

Find over 30 of the most common "q" verbs, a short definition for each and a handful of simple synonyms.

Verb

Definition

Synonyms

quack

to make the noise of a duck

squawk, croak, call

quadruple

to multiply by four

quadruplicate

quadruplicate

to make four copies of

copy, quadruple

quaff

to drink something thirstily or quickly

gulp, guzzle, swig

quail

to waste away, fade or wither

blanch, droop, faint

quake

to tremble or shake

vibrate, shiver

qualify

to meet the requirements of something

certify, enable, pass

quantify

to express the amount of something

measure, appraise, assess

quantitate

to measure or determine the quantity of something

gauge, appraise, calibrate

quantize

to express in multiples of a basic unit

calculate, subdivide, measure

quarantine

to keep something or someone away from others

isolate, sequester, confine

quarrel

to argue with someone

disagree, bicker

quarter

to divide something into four equal parts

cleave, cut, fourth

quash

to suppress something or put an end to it

destroy, defeat, crush

quaver

to shake or tremble with uncertainty

sway, oscillate, quiver

queen

to make a female person the ruler of a country

appoint, coronate, crown

quelch

to forcibly suppress

repress, inhibit, subjugate

quell

to stop or quiet something

defeat, suppress, silence

quench

to satisfy or extinguish

destroy, quash

query

to ask about something

inquire, interrogate, quiz

quest

to search, seek or journey

explore, probe

question

to ask something or doubt something

challenge, examine, interrogate

queue

to form a line

line up, wait, file

quibble

to use petty arguments when discussing an issue

bicker, squabble, altercate

quicken

to make more rapid

accelerate, energize, speed

quiesce

to become quieter

assuage, hush, squelch

quiet

to cause to make no sound

calm, muzzle, pacify

quieten

to make or become soundless

silence, deaden, muffle

quilt

to stitch and join together different kinds of fabric to make a decorative blanket

stitch, sew, crochet

quintuple

to make or become fives times as much

multiply

quip

to make a witty remark

taunt, jest, joke

quit

to stop doing something

abandon, abdicate, terminate

quiver

to shake rapidly or tremble

shake, vibrate, pulsate

quiz

to test knowledge

question, inquire, investigate

10 Example Sentences That Start With Q

Let's take a look at ten of the above "q" verbs at work in sentence form.

  1. Does that duck quack all night long?
  2. Wow! He really knows how to quaff a can of soda.
  3. I don't know how to quantify that amount.
  4. Did you see the episode where they had to quarantine Tony DiNozzo?
  5. Please do not quarrel with your brother.
  6. Let's quarter that pie since it's small.
  7. You cannot quell the thirst for knowledge.
  8. All you have to do is sit down, quiet the mind, and begin to meditate.
  9. She quilted blankets for her friends.
  10. You know he's going to question you on your whereabouts.

Types of Verbs

Simple sentences follow a basic pattern: subject + verb + direct object. Verbs indicate the sentence's action. They put the subject of the sentence into motion. Take a look at this example sentence:

  • Quincy quieted the noise.

"Quincy" is the subject, "quieted" is the verb and "noise" is the direct object. Since they're such heavy lifters, there are many different types of verbs. Here are three of the most popular.

  • action verb - These are the most common verbs. They highlight things you can do. For example, quiver and quake are action verbs. They're performing specific actions.
  • helping verb - These assist the main verb by extending its meaning. Using an example from the list, if you say, "Quinn is quibbling with Quentin again," "is" is the helping verb to the main (action) verb "quibbling."
  • linking verbs - These verbs don't describe any action. Rather, 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, "Quigley was in quite a quarrel with Jimmy." In this example, "was" is the linking verb.
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The Quest Is Over

If you were on a quest to uncover "q" verbs, wonder no more. Although "q" may not be the most popular letter in the alphabet, it's the starting point for some really fascinating verbs. Are you ready to see what you could come up with in terms of adjectives? Here are 20 adjectives that start with "q." Want to query the full scope of "q" words? Then go on a quest for words that begin with "q." Go in with a quiet mind that's open to quirky constructions. Now that you've got "q" mastered, check out verbs that start with "u."