Verbs That Start With W

Updated August 11, 2021
Verbs That Start With W
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    Verbs That Start With W
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If we had to designate two central parts of speech that we couldn't live without, they'd be nouns and verbs. Nouns let us know what or who a sentence is about and verbs set the subject into motion. Speaking of verbs, no vocabulary is complete without verbs that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Take the time to walk through this list of 50 verbs that start with "w."

Verbs Starting With W

The letter "w" is close to the end of the alphabet, but that doesn't mean that there is a shortage of verbs that begin with this letter. Explore a wealth of "w" verbs, find out what each one means, and even discover a few similar synonyms.

Verb

Definition

Synonyms

wade

to walk through a shallow area of water

splash, plod, splosh

wait

to pause

stand by, halt, delay

waive

to give up your right to something

sign away, yield, give up

wake

to stop sleeping

awaken, stir, rouse

walk

to move along on foot

step, stroll, trek

wander

to travel without a definite purpose

meander, drift, saunter

want

to desire something

crave, wish for, covet

warm

to raise the temperature

heat, cook, melt

warn

to caution against danger

advise, tip-off, alert

warp

to bend

distort, become misshapen, contort

warrant

to guarantee

attest, validate, affirm

wash

to clean something

bathe, cleanse, scrub

waste

to use irresponsibly

misuse, squander, throw away

watch

to look closely at something

observe, see, scrutinize

weaken

to lose strength

diminish, exhaust, wither

wear

to be clothed

don, put on, cover

weave

to interlace pieces together

braid, crisscross, fashion

wed

to join or marry

elope, espouse, entwine

weep

to cry a

bawl, shed tears, sob

weigh

to figure out how heavy something is

measure weight, determine weight

welcome

a polite, friendly greeting

receive, say hello, salute

weld

to bind together

connect, fuse, attach

whack

to strike with a sharp, resounding blow

bang, bash, clobber

whine

to complain in a petulant way

fret, fuss, whimper

whip

to beat with a flexible piece of leather

crop, lash, switch

whisk

to stir liquid ingredients

beat, whip, combine

whisper

to quietly relay information

murmur, mutter, speak softly

widen

to open up

broaden, expand, stretch

wiggle

to fidget and squirm around

shake, squirm, wriggle

will

to command something to happen

decree, order, ensure

wilt

to sag

droop, wither, fall over

win

to be the most successful at something

beat, influence, triumph

wink

to quickly open and close one eye at a time

blink, nictate, squint

wipe

to pass over with a cloth

clean, efface, swab

wish

to want something

yearn, hope for, desire

withdraw

to remove

revoke, rescind, abrogate

wither

to droop

dry, sere, shrivel

withhold

to hold back

deny, suppress, refuse

withstand

to endure

bear, brave, endure

witness

to observe an event taking place

see, behold, testify

wobble

to move in an unsteady way

quaver, shake, teeter

wonder

to want to know something

ponder, speculate, think about

woo

to gain love, affection, or support

charm, coax, court

work

to engage in activity to accomplish something

toil, effort, labor

worry

to feel anxiety or concern

fret, agonize, dwell on

wrap

to enclose or cover something

cloak, sheet, envelop

wreak

to damage or destroy

inflict, deliver, unleash

wrestle

to struggle

battle, grapple, tussle

wring

to twist

compress, squeeze, scrunch

write

to put language down on paper

author, note, correspond

Types of Verbs

Action verbs, like the ones listed above, indicate the sentence's action. They put the subject of the sentence into motion. However, they're not the only type of verb. There are also helping verbs, which clarify the meaning of the main action verb of the sentence. Linking verbs are a third type of verb that is commonly used in sentences.

  • The most common type of verb is an action verb. These are verbs that highlight things you can do. For example, you can "watch television" or "wring your hands." These verbs refer to specific actions being performed.
  • Helping verbs assist the main verb by extending its meaning, so they're always paired with an action verb. The word was is a helping verb that starts with "w." Consider this sentence: "I was watching television before you called." The helping verb (was) extends the meaning of the main verb (watching).
  • Linking verbs don't indicate action and don't need to be paired with another verb. They link the subject of the sentence to additional information. The word were is an example of a linking verb that starts with "w." Consider the sentence, "We were happy." The linking verb (were) connects the subject (we) to an adjective (happy).
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10 Example Sentences

Adding a lot of "w" verbs to your vocabulary is a great idea, but the real benefit is being able to use these words in sentences. Don't forget that simple sentences all tend to follow the same basic pattern: subject + verb + direct object. In the sentence, "Wanda weaved a new basket," "Wanda" is the subject, "weaved" is the verb, and "basket" is the direct object. Now you're ready to wander your way through a few sample sentences that use verbs that start with "w."

  • Make sure the kids wade into the water.
  • Don't forget to wave to the queen.
  • Let's make sure we wake up at six.
  • I love to wander and roam around Rome.
  • Can you warm up my tea, please?
  • His bad behavior does not warrant that level of punishment.
  • When you wish upon a star, dreams come true.
  • We watched him wobble across the ropes course.
  • I can't help but wonder what's inside that wooden box.
  • She likes to write in her journal.
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Wandering and Wonderful W-Verbs

Did you know there were so many useful verbs that start with "w" at your disposal? Let the wonder of your mind wiggle down a blank page while you see if you can put any of these verbs to use in your next bit of writing. And, while you're at it, try to pair them with these nouns that start with "w" for some alliterative wordplay! Don't stop with just verbs and nouns. Go all out with this wonderful collection of words that start with "w" on WordFinder by YourDictionary. Then, start exploring the rest of the alphabet by reviewing verbs that start with "x," "y" and "z."