English · Word Candidate

verb

/vɜːb/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: verbs · verbing · verbed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being.

Noun

Examples

The word “speak” is an English verb.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An action as opposed to a trait or thing.

Noun

Examples

Kindness is a verb, not an adjective. You're only kind if you do kind things.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To use any word that is or was not a verb (especially a noun) as if it were a verb.

VerbRegister: colloquial

Examples

Haig, in congressional hearings before his confirmatory, paradoxed his auditioners by abnormalling his responds so that verbs were nouned, nouns verbed and adjectives adverbised. He techniqued a new way to vocabulary his thoughts so as to informationally uncertain anybody listening about what he had

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

Used as a placeholder for any verb.

Verb

Examples

For example, one-part versions of the proposition "The doctor pursued the lawyer" were "The doctor verbed the object," ...

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “verb” mean?

A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being.

Is “verb” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.