This list covers 98 verbs, running from “Magnify” to “Mystify.” These words describe everything from everyday physical actions, like mopping a floor or mixing ingredients, to mental and emotional processes, like mediating a dispute or marveling at a view. You’ll find them useful for building stronger sentences, expanding your vocabulary, and communicating more precisely in both writing and conversation.

Verbs are words that express an action, occurrence, or state of being, and they form the core of every sentence in English. Many verbs on this list, such as “mimic” and “mesmerize,” trace back to Latin and Greek roots tied to imitation and hypnosis, showing how language often borrows from older ideas about the mind. Learning them helps you describe actions with more nuance and confidence.

Below you’ll find the table with Word, Tense Forms, Definition, Example Usage, and Description.

Word: the verb itself, shown in its base form so you can quickly scan the list and find the one you’re looking for.

Tense Forms: the present, past, and past participle forms of the verb, helping you use it correctly in any sentence.

Definition: a short, clear explanation of what the verb means, giving you a quick way to check its core meaning.

Example Usage: a sample sentence showing the verb in context, so you can see how it works in real, everyday language.

Description: a fuller explanation of the verb’s meaning and nuance, useful when you need more detail than a simple definition provides.

Verbs

WordTense FormsDefinitionExample Usage
Magnifymagnify, magnified, magnifiedTo make something appear larger or more significant“The lens magnifies the print.”
Maintainmaintain, maintained, maintainedTo keep something in existence or good condition“She maintains her car well.”
Majormajor, majored, majoredTo specialize in a subject at college“He majored in biology.”
Makemake, made, madeTo create or produce something“They made a cake together.”
Malignmalign, maligned, malignedTo speak badly or unfairly about someone“The critics maligned his work.”
Managemanage, managed, managedTo be in charge of or successfully handle something“She manages a small team.”
Maneuvermaneuver, maneuvered, maneuveredTo move or steer skillfully“He maneuvered the car into the tight spot.”
Manifestmanifest, manifested, manifestedTo display or show something clearly“Her stress manifested as insomnia.”
Manipulatemanipulate, manipulated, manipulatedTo handle or influence skillfully, often unfairly“He manipulated the data to fit his theory.”
Manufacturemanufacture, manufactured, manufacturedTo make goods on a large scale“The factory manufactures bicycles.”
Mapmap, mapped, mappedTo create a representation of an area“They mapped the coastline.”
Marchmarch, marched, marchedTo walk in a formal, rhythmic way“The soldiers marched in formation.”
Markmark, marked, markedTo make a visible sign on something“She marked the page with a sticky note.”
Marketmarket, marketed, marketedTo promote or sell a product“The company markets its products online.”
Marrymarry, married, marriedTo join in matrimony“They got married last June.”
Marvelmarvel, marveled, marveledTo be filled with wonder or admiration“They marveled at the view.”
Mashmash, mashed, mashedTo crush into a soft, pulpy mass“She mashed the potatoes.”
Maskmask, masked, maskedTo cover or conceal something“He masked his disappointment with a smile.”
Massagemassage, massaged, massagedTo rub or knead the body“The therapist massaged her shoulders.”
Mastermaster, mastered, masteredTo gain complete skill in something“He mastered the piano by twenty.”
Matchmatch, matched, matchedTo correspond with or pair up“The colors match perfectly.”
Mattermatter, mattered, matteredTo be important or significant“Your opinion matters to us.”
Maulmaul, mauled, mauledTo injure through rough, violent handling“The bear mauled the campsite.”
Maximizemaximize, maximized, maximizedTo make as large or great as possible“The company aims to maximize profits.”
Meanmean, meant, meantTo intend or signify something“I mean what I say.”
Meandermeander, meandered, meanderedTo wander idly or follow a winding course“The river meanders through the valley.”
Measuremeasure, measured, measuredTo find the size, length, or amount of something“She measured the room before buying furniture.”
Mechanizemechanize, mechanized, mechanizedTo equip a process with machinery“The farm was mechanized in the 1950s.”
Meddlemeddle, meddled, meddledTo interfere in matters that are not one’s concern“Stop meddling in my affairs.”
Mediatemediate, mediated, mediatedTo intervene to help resolve a dispute“She mediated the conflict between the two teams.”
Medicatemedicate, medicated, medicatedTo treat with medicine“The patient was medicated for the pain.”
Meditatemeditate, meditated, meditatedTo focus the mind quietly, often for relaxation“He meditates every morning.”
Meetmeet, met, metTo come together with someone“Let’s meet at noon.”
Meltmelt, melted, meltedTo change from a solid to a liquid through heat“The ice melted in the sun.”
Memorizememorize, memorized, memorizedTo learn something by heart“She memorized the poem for class.”
Menacemenace, menaced, menacedTo threaten harm or danger“The storm menaced the coast.”
Mendmend, mended, mendedTo repair something damaged“He mended the broken fence.”
Mentionmention, mentioned, mentionedTo refer to something briefly“She mentioned the meeting in passing.”
Mergemerge, merged, mergedTo combine into a single whole“The two companies merged last year.”
Meritmerit, merited, meritedTo deserve something“The proposal merits serious consideration.”
Mesmerizemesmerize, mesmerized, mesmerizedTo hold someone’s complete attention“The dancer mesmerized the audience.”
Metabolizemetabolize, metabolized, metabolizedTo process chemically within a living body“The body metabolizes sugar quickly.”
Migratemigrate, migrated, migratedTo move from one place or region to another“Birds migrate south in winter.”
Mimicmimic, mimicked, mimickedTo imitate closely“The parrot mimics human speech.”
Mincemince, minced, mincedTo cut into very small pieces“She minced the garlic finely.”
Mindmind, minded, mindedTo be careful about or feel bothered by something“Do you mind the noise?”
Minemine, mined, minedTo extract minerals from the earth“They mined coal for decades.”
Minglemingle, mingled, mingledTo mix socially or blend together“Guests mingled at the reception.”
Minimizeminimize, minimized, minimizedTo reduce something to the smallest possible amount“We should minimize waste.”
Mintmint, minted, mintedTo manufacture coins, or create something new“The company minted a limited-edition coin.”
Mirrormirror, mirrored, mirroredTo reflect or closely resemble something“Her reaction mirrored his own.”
Misbehavemisbehave, misbehaved, misbehavedTo behave badly or improperly“The children misbehaved at dinner.”
Miscalculatemiscalculate, miscalculated, miscalculatedTo calculate or judge incorrectly“He miscalculated the total cost.”
Mishandlemishandle, mishandled, mishandledTo deal with something carelessly or incompetently“The crisis was mishandled by management.”
Misinformmisinform, misinformed, misinformedTo give someone false or inaccurate information“The report misinformed the public.”
Misinterpretmisinterpret, misinterpreted, misinterpretedTo understand something incorrectly“He misinterpreted her tone as anger.”
Misjudgemisjudge, misjudged, misjudgedTo form an incorrect opinion or estimate“She misjudged the distance to the curb.”
Mislabelmislabel, mislabeled, mislabeledTo label something incorrectly“The product was mislabeled at the factory.”
Mislaymislay, mislaid, mislaidTo lose something by forgetting where it was placed“I mislaid my keys again.”
Misleadmislead, misled, misledTo give someone a false impression“The ad misled customers about the price.”
Mismanagemismanage, mismanaged, mismanagedTo manage something poorly or dishonestly“The charity’s funds were mismanaged.”
Missmiss, missed, missedTo fail to hit, reach, or attend something“She missed the last bus.”
Misspellmisspell, misspelled, misspelledTo spell a word incorrectly“He misspelled her name in the email.”
Mistakemistake, mistook, mistakenTo misunderstand or wrongly identify something“I mistook him for his brother.”
Mistreatmistreat, mistreated, mistreatedTo treat someone or something badly“The animal had clearly been mistreated.”
Mistrustmistrust, mistrusted, mistrustedTo lack confidence or trust in something“He mistrusts strangers on principle.”
Misunderstandmisunderstand, misunderstood, misunderstoodTo fail to correctly understand something“I think you misunderstood my point.”
Misusemisuse, misused, misusedTo use something incorrectly or improperly“He misused the company credit card.”
Mitigatemitigate, mitigated, mitigatedTo make something less severe“Efforts to mitigate climate change are underway.”
Mixmix, mixed, mixedTo combine different substances or things“She mixed the flour and sugar.”
Moanmoan, moaned, moanedTo make a low sound of pain, or to complain“He moaned about the long wait.”
Mobilizemobilize, mobilized, mobilizedTo organize people or resources for action“The country mobilized its troops.”
Mockmock, mocked, mockedTo tease or ridicule someone“They mocked his accent.”
Modelmodel, modeled, modeledTo display clothing, or to create a representation“She models for a local fashion brand.”
Moderatemoderate, moderated, moderatedTo make less extreme, or to preside over a discussion“He moderated the panel discussion.”
Modernizemodernize, modernized, modernizedTo bring something up to date“They modernized the old factory.”
Modifymodify, modified, modifiedTo make small changes to something“She modified the recipe to use less sugar.”
Moistenmoisten, moistened, moistenedTo make something slightly wet“Moisten the cloth before wiping the counter.”
Moldmold, molded, moldedTo shape a soft material into a form“He molded the clay into a bowl.”
Monitormonitor, monitored, monitoredTo observe and check something over time“Doctors monitored her heart rate closely.”
Monopolizemonopolize, monopolized, monopolizedTo dominate or control something exclusively“He monopolized the conversation all evening.”
Mopmop, mopped, moppedTo clean a floor using a mop“She mopped the kitchen floor.”
Motivatemotivate, motivated, motivatedTo give someone a reason or incentive to act“Her coach motivated her to train harder.”
Mountmount, mounted, mountedTo climb onto something, or to increase gradually“Tension mounted before the final match.”
Mournmourn, mourned, mournedTo feel or express deep grief“They mourned the loss of their friend.”
Movemove, moved, movedTo change position or location“They moved to a new city last spring.”
Mowmow, mowed, mownTo cut grass or crops“He mows the lawn every Saturday.”
Muddlemuddle, muddled, muddledTo confuse or mix things up“He muddled the instructions completely.”
Multiplymultiply, multiplied, multipliedTo increase greatly in number, or perform multiplication“Rabbits multiply quickly.”
Mumblemumble, mumbled, mumbledTo speak quietly and unclearly“He mumbled an apology and left.”
Munchmunch, munched, munchedTo chew food steadily and often noisily“She munched on popcorn during the movie.”
Murdermurder, murdered, murderedTo kill someone unlawfully and intentionally“The suspect was charged with murder.”
Murmurmurmur, murmured, murmuredTo speak in a soft, low, indistinct voice“She murmured a quiet reply.”
Musemuse, mused, musedTo think about something quietly and reflectively“He mused on the meaning of the poem.”
Mustermuster, mustered, musteredTo gather together, including courage or resources“She mustered the courage to speak up.”
Mutatemutate, mutated, mutatedTo change in form, structure, or nature“The virus mutated rapidly.”
Muttermutter, muttered, mutteredTo speak in a low, barely audible voice, often complaining“He muttered under his breath.”
Mystifymystify, mystified, mystifiedTo confuse or puzzle someone completely“The results mystified the scientists.”

Descriptions

Magnify
To enlarge the apparent size of something, often with an optical device, or to exaggerate its importance.
Maintain
To keep something going or in a particular state, especially through regular care or effort.
Major
To pursue a specific field of study as one’s main academic focus at university.
Make
To create, produce, or cause something to exist or happen.
Malign
To say untrue or harmful things about someone, damaging their reputation.
Manage
To be responsible for controlling or organizing people, resources, or tasks.
Maneuver
To move or guide something with care and skill, often in a tricky situation.
Manifest
To display a quality or feeling clearly, or bring something into being.
Manipulate
To handle something skillfully, or to influence someone unfairly for personal gain.
Manufacture
To make products, typically in bulk, using machinery and industrial processes.
Map
To make a visual representation of a place, or to plan out a course of action.
March
To walk with a steady, measured stride, often as part of an organized group.
Mark
To put a symbol or sign on something to identify, highlight, or grade it.
Market
To advertise and promote goods or services in order to boost sales.
Marry
To become someone’s legal or religious spouse in a formal ceremony.
Marvel
To feel or express great surprise, wonder, or admiration.
Mash
To crush a soft food into a smooth pulp, usually with pressure.
Mask
To hide or disguise something, whether a feeling, an object, or a smell.
Massage
To rub and knead muscles to ease tension, or to adjust figures favorably.
Master
To acquire thorough knowledge or ability in a subject or activity.
Match
To be equal to, correspond with, or combine well with something else.
Matter
To have importance or significance to someone or something.
Maul
To wound someone severely by clawing or tearing, typically during an animal attack.
Maximize
To increase something to the greatest possible amount or degree.
Mean
To intend to express something, or to carry a particular significance.
Meander
To follow a slow, winding path, whether a river’s course or a rambling conversation.
Measure
To determine the dimensions or quantity of something using a unit or instrument.
Mechanize
To introduce machines to replace manual labor in a task or industry.
Meddle
To involve oneself in something without invitation, often causing annoyance.
Mediate
To act as a neutral party helping opposing sides reach an agreement.
Medicate
To give or treat someone with medicinal drugs.
Meditate
To calm and focus the mind through quiet reflection, often for spiritual or mental benefit.
Meet
To come into someone’s presence by chance or arrangement, or to fulfill a requirement.
Melt
To turn from solid to liquid through heating, or to soften emotionally.
Memorize
To commit information to memory so it can be recalled exactly.
Menace
To threaten to cause harm, danger, or trouble.
Mend
To fix something that is torn, broken, or damaged.
Mention
To refer to something briefly, without going into much detail.
Merge
To blend or combine two or more things into one unified entity.
Merit
To deserve or be worthy of a particular reward, attention, or outcome.
Mesmerize
To captivate someone so fully it feels like hypnosis.
Metabolize
To break down a substance within a living organism to produce energy.
Migrate
To move to a different area or habitat, often seasonally or for better conditions.
Mimic
To closely copy the appearance, sound, or behavior of someone or something else.
Mince
To chop food into very small pieces, often using a blade or machine.
Mind
To pay attention to, be cautious of, or object to something.
Mine
To dig into the ground to extract minerals, metals, or other valuable materials.
Mingle
To mix and interact socially with others, or to blend substances together.
Minimize
To reduce something’s size, amount, or importance as much as possible.
Mint
To stamp and produce coins from metal, or more broadly, to create something fresh and original.
Mirror
To reflect an image, or to closely resemble or match something else.
Misbehave
To act in a way that breaks expected rules of conduct.
Miscalculate
To make an error in judgment or arithmetic, leading to a wrong result.
Mishandle
To handle a situation, object, or person carelessly or without proper skill.
Misinform
To provide false or misleading information, whether intentionally or by mistake.
Misinterpret
To wrongly understand or explain the meaning of something.
Misjudge
To assess someone or something inaccurately or unfairly.
Mislabel
To attach the wrong name or information to something, causing confusion.
Mislay
To put something down and then be unable to find it, usually by accident.
Mislead
To cause someone to believe something untrue, often deliberately.
Mismanage
To handle money, a business, or a situation incompetently or improperly.
Miss
To fail to achieve, catch, or attend something, or to feel the absence of someone.
Misspell
To write the letters of a word in the wrong order or combination.
Mistake
To make an error in judgment, or to confuse one person or thing for another.
Mistreat
To treat a person or animal cruelly, unfairly, or without proper care.
Mistrust
To feel suspicious of or lack confidence in someone or something.
Misunderstand
To interpret someone’s words or intentions incorrectly.
Misuse
To use something in a wrong, careless, or unintended way.
Mitigate
To lessen the severity, seriousness, or impact of something harmful.
Mix
To combine two or more things so they form a single blended whole.
Moan
To produce a low sound expressing discomfort, or to complain persistently.
Mobilize
To gather and prepare people or resources for a particular purpose, especially in a crisis.
Mock
To make fun of or ridicule someone or something in a scornful way.
Model
To wear and display clothing for promotion, or to create a pattern or example of something.
Moderate
To keep something within reasonable limits, or to oversee and regulate a debate.
Modernize
To update something so it meets current standards, methods, or technology.
Modify
To alter something slightly, typically to improve or adapt it.
Moisten
To dampen something lightly, often to prepare it for use.
Mold
To shape a pliable substance into a particular form, or to influence a person’s character.
Monitor
To watch and track something regularly to note any changes.
Monopolize
To take complete control of something, leaving little room for others.
Mop
To clean a hard floor with a mop, a tool with an absorbent head on a handle.
Motivate
To inspire or provide someone with a reason to take action.
Mount
To climb up onto something, or to build up steadily in size or intensity.
Mourn
To feel and express profound sorrow, especially over a death.
Move
To change place or position, or to affect someone emotionally.
Mow
To cut grass, hay, or crops using a blade or machine.
Muddle
To mix things up in a disorganized or confusing way.
Multiply
To grow substantially in number or amount, or to carry out the math operation of multiplication.
Mumble
To speak in a low, indistinct voice that is hard to understand.
Munch
To eat something, especially a crunchy snack, in a steady, audible way.
Murder
To unlawfully and deliberately take another person’s life.
Murmur
To say something softly and quietly, often barely audible.
Muse
To ponder something thoughtfully, often in a relaxed or reflective way.
Muster
To assemble or summon something, whether troops, resources, or inner strength.
Mutate
To undergo a change in genetic makeup, or more broadly, to transform into a different form.
Mutter
To say something quietly and often grumblingly, hard for others to hear clearly.
Mystify
To bewilder someone so thoroughly they cannot understand what is happening.
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