ACTION DESCRIPTORS
Replace non-specific verbs
with more detailed ones
By Dakota Balmore
BROUGHT
carried
carted
escorted
ferried
fetched
hauled
lugged
packed
toted
transported
Ascended
Boosted
(up)
Climbed
Clamored
(up)
Heaved
Hoisted
Lifted
Raised
Rose
Scaled
TO COME
Chance
Drift
Ensue
Fall
Follow
Grow
Occur
Ooze
Return (come back)
Turn out
Wax
Ached
Cringed
Flinched
Grimaced
Winced
grope
fish
fumble
clutch at
poke
probe
sense
stumble
touch
TO FEEL
(to draw an inference)
calculate
conjecture
fancy
guess
hypothesize
imagine
infer
intuit
presume
presuppose
reason
reckon
sense
speculate
surmise
suspect
think
theorize
GO/WENT
advanced
carried on
continued
forged ahead
kept moving
made headway
made one's way
moved ahead
moved on
passed
pressed on
proceeded
progressed
pushed on
ran
roamed
traveled
walked (see walk for syns)
Belted
Bludgeoned
Booted
Bopped
Clipped
Clobbered
Clouted
Clubbed
Collided
Conked
Crashed
Crowned
Cuffed
Jabbed
Kicked
Knocked
Lambasted
Pelted
Pummeled
Punched
Punted
Rammed
Rapped
Slammed
Slapped
Slugged
Smacked
Socked
Struck
Walloped
Whacked
catapulted
eased
extended
flicked
flopped
flung
flipped
pitched
plopped
plunged
plunked
poked
propelled
reached
shot
shoved
slid
slung
stretched
stuck
threw
thrust
tossed
Bounced
Bounded
Capered
Hopped
Jumped
Leaped
(Leapt)
Pounced
Pranced
Skipped
Sprang
Vaulted
TO LOOK/SEE
(to use sight)
darted her/his eyes
detect
discern
dropped (her/his eyes)
examine
eye (scrutinize)
gape (stare stupidly)
gander
gawk (stare stupidly)
gaze (steadily)
glance (quick look)
glare (angrily fixed)
glimpse
glower (angrily)
look (appear)
look (expression)
look (resemble)
observe
peek (quick look)
peep (quick look)
peer (searchingly, intently)
perceive
pulled (eyes away)
scan (quick look)
scrutinize
spy
stare
survey
view
watch
TO LOOK (to search for)
search
comb
delve into
dig into
explore
ferret
forage
frisk
hunt
investigate
keek (Scots)
look (search)
nose
prospect
pry
quest
ransack
rifle
root
rummage
scan
scour
seek
PICK
catch
choose
clutch
fetch
grab
lay hands on (colloquial)
nab
seize
snatch
snap up
stop
TO PUT
assembled
assumed
brushed
cast
catapulted
crammed
eased
extended
flicked
flopped
flung
flipped
heaved
jammed
knocked
launched
laid
locked
pitched
placed
plastered
plopped
plumped
plunged
plunked
poked
poured
pressed
propelled
pulled
raised
rammed
reached
scratched
screwed
scrunched
shot
shoved
slapped
slid
slung
slipped
slithered
stretched
stuffed
stuck
threw
thrust
tossed
touched
tread
wrapped
wrote
bolted
bustled
darted
dashed
flashed
flew
flittered (move about
rapidly)
galloped
hastened
hurried
hustled
raced
ripped
rocketed
rushed
scurried
skipped
sped
sprinted
tore
zipped
zoomed
SET
eased
fixed
inserted
laid
leaned
plopped
plunked
propped
rested
stood
TO STAND
danced to her feet
dragged herself up
eased to a standing
position
rise
staggered to her feet
see (TO RUN) to her feet
TOOK/GOT
accepted
bore
borrowed
brought
carried
claimed
conveyed
drew
embraced
fetched
grabbed
grasped
held
inhaled
latched
pulled
required
retrieved
scooped up
shot
snatched
sucked
toted
yanked
walked (see walk for syns)
circled around
circumambulate
circumnavigated
pirouetted
pivoted (around)
reeled around
revolved
rolled
rotated (around)
spun (around)
swung (around)
swirled
swiveled around
tumbled
twirled around
wheeled around
whipped around
whirled
around
TO WALK
advanced
ambled (leisurely)
crept
danced
dragged her/himself
eased
edged
escorted
glided
hiked
hobbled
hurried
lumbered (move heavily, or clumsily)
marched
meandered
moseyed (sauntered)
paced
padded
paraded
pattered
(move with
quick, light, softly
audible steps.
pranced
promenaded
rambled
sashayed
sauntered (leisurely)
scooted
shimmied
skipped
slinked (cautious)
slithered
sneaked
staggered
stepped
stomped
stormed
strolled (leisurely)
strode (leisurely)
strutted (superior)
stumbled
swaggered (in an insolent
or arrogant air; strut)
tiptoed (careful)
traipsed (tramp about)
treaded
trekked
trudged (laborious)
waddled
wandered
jerked
lurched
quivered
recoiled
shook
shuddered
trembled
twitched