In this modern era, where everyone is in a race against time, it’s fair for our readers to get the maximum value in minimum time, and verbs that start with H enable us to do so. Actually, humans have an attention span of 8-12 secs and if we can’t enchant and captivate someone by selecting the right words then we need to audit our communication skills.
A simple trick for being definite in your writing is to swap weak verbs with strong ones. For instance, ‘He was the supervisor of a company’ is the same as ‘He oversaw the company’ but the latter is more to the point and pictorial. So, use these verbs that begin with H to induce compactness and conciseness in your style.
Since these verbs that start with H are the most integral yet intricate parts of speech, we’ve included definitions and examples for you to acquire a grip over them. Also, try to form short and crisp sentences when incorporating these verbs that start with H. Now that you have a better understanding of what’s ahead, let’s have a thorough look at these action words starting with H.
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Verbs That Start with H You Always Use
You may not realize it at the time but bringing these verbs that start with H into service is going to transform your communication skills for the better. So, let’s kick off this discussion with some frequently used verbs.
1. Have
- Definition: to possess, own, or hold something
- Synonyms: possess, own, be in possession of, be the owner of
- Example: Do you have what it takes to the very best?
2. Heal
- Definition: cause a wound, injury, or person to become sound again
- Synonyms: make better, make well, cure
- Example: To heal our body, we must heal our mind.
3. Hear
- Definition: to become conscious of sound using ears
- Synonyms: perceive, catch, get, make out
- Example: Behind her, she could hear the baby crying.
4. Heat
- Definition: become hot or warm
- Synonyms: warm, heat up, make warm
- Example: Shall I heat some soup for lunch?
5. Heed
- Definition: take notice of something
- Synonyms: pay attention to, take notice of
- Example: Perhaps they should have heeded their advice.
6. Hint
- Definition: to indicate something covertly
- Synonyms: imply, suggest, indicate
- Example: He’s hinted at the possibility of moving to Canada.
7. Hike
- Definition: to go for a long walk
- Synonyms: walk, trek, tramp, trudge, traipse
- Example: We have planned a five-mile hike across rough terrain.
8. Hinder
- Definition: make it difficult for someone to do something
- Synonyms: hamper, be a hindrance to, obstruct
- Example: Her progress certainly hasn’t been hindered by her lack of experience.
9. Hire
- Definition: to recruit someone for wages
- Synonyms: employ, engage, appoint
- Example: We must hire some fresh graduates for this project.
10. Hiss
- Definition: to generate a sharp sibilant sound as of the letter s
- Synonyms: fizz, fizzle, whistle, wheeze, buzz, shrill
- Example: The iron was hissing and spluttering.
Verbs That Start with H You Usually Use
If you are hell-bent on transcending your competition then you must look further ahead than others and find new ways to utilize these verbs starting with H. So, let’s have a look at these verbs.
1. Hit
- Definition: bring anything (one’s hand or a tool or weapon) into contact with another thing quickly and forcefully
- Synonyms: strike, slap, smack, cuff, punch, beat
- Example: The man hit the mugger with his stick and restrained him till the police arrived.
2. Hold
- Definition: support with one’s hands
- Synonyms: clasp, hold on to, clutch, grasp, grip
- Example: Can you please hold this suitcase for a minute?
3. Horrify
- Definition: fill with horror
- Synonyms: frighten, scare, terrify, petrify, alarm
- Example: Everyone was horrified by his evil plan.
4. Harbour
- Definition: shelter a criminal or wanted person
- Synonyms: shelter, conceal, hide
- Example: He was suspected of harboring a criminal.
5. Hug
- Definition: clutch (someone) tightly in one’s arms
- Synonyms: embrace, cuddle, squeeze, clasp, clutch
- Example: Everyone hugged me on my arrival.
6. Hum
- Definition: make a low, steady continuous sound
- Synonyms: purr, whir, throb, vibrate, murmur
- Example: What’s that strange humming sound?
7. Hunt
- Definition: pursue and kill (a wild animal) for sport or food
- Synonyms: chase, give chase to, pursue, stalk, course
- Example: Elephants used to be hunted for ivory from their tusks.
8. Hurry
- Definition: to act with great haste
- Synonyms: be quick, hurry up, move quickly
- Example: You’d better hurry if you want to reach the bus terminal on time.
9. Hurt
- Definition: cause pain or injury to someone
- Synonyms: injure, wound, damage, disable, incapacitate
- Example: Don’t hurt people with your words instead encourage them.
10. Harden
- Definition: make or become hard
- Synonyms: solidify, set, become hard
- Example: I was waiting for the glue to harden.
Verbs That Start with H You Often Use
Words and ideas have the power to transform the world and they already did in the past. These verbs beginning with H might seem powerless in a dictionary but a person who knows how to combine them effectively can change the course of the future.
1. Hallucinate
- Definition: experience an apparent sensory perception of something that is not present
- Synonyms: have hallucinations, imagine things
- Example: Mental disorders, drug use, and hypnosis can all cause people to hallucinate.
2. Halt
- Definition: come to an abrupt stop
- Synonyms: stop, come to a halt, come to a stop, come to a standstill
- Example: There is increasing pressure to halt the research on cloning.
3. Hang
- Definition: be suspended from above with the lower part dangling free
- Synonyms: be suspended, hang down
- Example: Please hang your clothes in the cupboard.
4. Happen
- Definition: something taking place
- Synonyms: occur, take place, come about
- Example: Do you know what happens in the next episode?
5. Harass
- Definition: to experience aggressive pressure or intimidation
- Synonyms: pester, badger, hound, harry, plague
- Example: She felt she was being harassed by the coach’s constant demands.
8. Hazard
- Definition: put (something) at risk of being lost
- Synonyms: risk, chance, gamble
- Example: The crypto business is too risky to hazard money on.
7. Hasten
- Definition: to increase the pace to do something
- Synonyms: hurry, go fast, go quickly, make haste
- Example: These recent poor results have hastened the manager’s departure.
8. Hatch
- Definition: conspire to devise a plot
- Synonyms: device, invent, plan
- Example: I know all about the little plan that you and your sister hatched up last night.
9. Hate
- Definition: feel intense dislike for someone
- Synonyms: loathe, detest, dislike greatly, abhor
- Example: She hated the cold, dark days of winter.
10. Haunt
- Definition: (of a ghost) manifest itself at (a place) regularly
- Synonyms: appear in, materialize in
- Example: A ghostly lady is said to haunt the stairway looking for her children.
Verbs That Start with H You Sometimes Use
The verbs we opt for to communicate and interact are largely dependent on different cultural and religious norms in our society. So, in this section, we’ll look at verbs starting with letter H that are used occasionally.
1. Habit
- Definition: be dressed or clothed
- Synonyms: cloth, costume, dress up
- Example: In the restaurant, I saw a boy habited as a serving lad.
2. Habituate
- Definition: make or become accustomed to something
- Synonyms: accustom, make used, adapt, adjust
- Example: Dolphins can become habituated to humans very easily.
3. Hospitalize
- Definition: admit or cause (someone) to be admitted to hospital for treatment
- Synonyms: mend, rehabilitate, heal
- Example: Pam was hospitalized for PTSD.
4. Haggle
- Definition: bargain persistently, especially over the cost of something
- Synonyms: barter, bargain, negotiate, discuss terms
- Example: Both parties were haggling over the refrigerator price.
5. Halve
- Definition: divide into two parts of roughly equal size
- Synonyms: cut in half, divide into two equal parts
- Example: In the past eight years, the elephant population in Africa has been halved.
6. Hammer
- Definition: to criticize forcefully and relentlessly
- Synonyms: criticize, condemn, attack
- Example: He got hammered for someone else’s mistake.
7. Handcuff
- Definition: to restrain someone by putting a handcuff
- Synonyms: secure, shackle, restrain
- Example: He was brought into court handcuffed to a policeman.
8. Handicap
- Definition: act as an impediment to
- Synonyms: hamper, impede, hinder
- Example: Lack of resources has handicapped the nuclear power project.
9. Harp
- Definition: writing persistently and tediously on a specific topic
- Synonyms: keep on about, persist in talking about
- Example: I’m tired of these people who keep harping on what is wrong with the country.
10. Harrow
- Definition: cause torment to
- Synonyms: distress, trouble, afflict, grieve, torment
- Example: Todd could take it, however, Jimmy was harrowed by it.
Verbs That Start with H You Occasionally Use
We all have been in a situation where someone used a quirky, uncommon word and left us confused and puzzled. Well, no more since we are also about to learn some of those perplexing verb words that start with H.
1. Hash
- Definition: to agree on something after lengthy and vigorous discussion
- Synonyms: conclude, decide, determine
- Example: They met during the day to hash out the campaign’s reaction to the controversy.
2. Heighten
- Definition: become more severe
- Synonyms: intensify, increase, enhance, make greater
- Example: His soft skills were heightened after the summer internship.
3. Hem
- Definition: surround and restrict the space of someone or something
- Synonyms: surround, border, edge
- Example: Jake was hemmed in by the chairs.
4. Hibernate
- Definition: (of an animal or plant) spend the winter in a dormant state
- Synonyms: lie dormant, lie torpid, sleep, winter
- Example: Some species hibernate in tree roosts.
5. Hinge
- Definition: attach or join with or as if with a hinge
- Synonyms: hinged, jointed, segmented
- Example: The wooden board was set into the wall and hinged at the top.
6. Harry
- Definition: persistently carry out attacks on an enemy’s territory
- Synonyms: attack, assail, assault, maraud
- Example: Soldiers then spent half a year harrying and burning the field.
7. Hood
- Definition: put a hood on or over
- Synonyms: (none)
- Example: She was forced into a car, hooded, and taken to a cell.
8. Hop
- Definition: (of a person) move by jumping on one foot
- Synonyms: jump, bound, spring, bounce, skip, jog, trip
- Example: I tried to hop on my good foot while holding onto Jim.
9. Horsewhip
- Definition: hit a person or animal with a horsewhip
- Synonyms: whip, lash, slash, strap
- Example: In ancient times, people used to horsewhip their slaves mercilessly.
10. Howl
- Definition: dog or wolfs making a sad sound
- Synonyms: bay, cry, bark
- Example: In the silence of the night, a lone wolf howled.
Verbs That Start with H You Seldom Use
While seldom used action verbs starting with H might help us come across as someone who has sublime communication skills, it’s essential to scrutinize the audience and mold our statements into something stimulating yet worthwhile. So, use these verbs wisely.
1. Harpoon
- Definition: to hit or kill a fish or whale with a harpoon
- Synonyms: grab, catch
- Example: Michael’s brother harpooned a six-meter basking shark.
2. Hellenize
- Definition: to make Greek in character
- Synonyms: (none)
- Example: True, their tendency and probably their aim was to Hellenize Serbs and Bulgarians.
3. Hoax
- Definition: play a joke on someone
- Synonyms: trick someone, play a jest on, play a prank on
- Example: A fake website was set up and a number of people were hoaxed.
4. Hobble
- Definition: walk awkwardly because of distress from an injury
- Synonyms: limp, walk with a limp, walk with difficulty
- Example: He was hobbling around on crutches due to his recent accident.
5. Hobnob
- Definition: mix socially, especially with people who are important or famous
- Synonyms: associate, go around, mix
- Example: She often gets her picture in the papers, hobnobbing with the rich and famous.
6. Hoodwink
- Definition: deceive or trick
- Synonyms: deceive, trick, dupe, outwit, fool, delude
- Example: We were hoodwinked into believing that we had won a lottery.
7. Huff
- Definition: to say something in an offended way
- Synonyms: (none)
- Example: “Well if that’s what you want, I’ll go,” she huffed.
8. Humanize
- Definition: make (something) more humane or civilized
- Synonyms: civilize, improve, better
- Example: He wanted to humanize prison conditions.
9. Hybridize
- Definition: cross-breed between individuals of two different varieties
- Synonyms: cross-breed, cross, interbreed, mix
- Example: All sorts of colors will result as these flowers hybridize freely.
10. Hypostasize
- Definition: to treat concepts and ideas as a distinct substance or reality
- Synonyms: emerge, appear, realize
- Example: We are aware that “the tendency of modern thought” is to hypostatize force and intelligence, and conceive them as entities.
Positive Verbs That Start with H
Use these positive verbs that start with H to perk up your friends and relatives who are feeling under the weather. This will help you understand and help them in tough times.
1. Hallow
- Definition: honor as holy
- Synonyms: bless, reconsecrate, sanctify
- Example: The Ganges is hallowed as a sacred, cleansing river in India.
2. Hand
- Definition: hold the hand of (someone) to guide them in a specified direction
- Synonyms: assist, help, aid
- Example: Robert handed them into the carriage.
3. Harmonize
- Definition: produce an appealing visual combination
- Synonyms: coordinate, go together, match
- Example: The garden has been designed to harmonize with the natural landscape.
4. Harvest
- Definition: gather (a crop) as a harvest
- Synonyms: gathering in of the crops, harvesting
- Example: After harvesting, the crop is transported to the main markets.
5. Head
- Definition: be in the leading position on
- Synonyms: lead, be at the front of, be first
- Example: After five years in the US office, he returns to London to head the finance department.
6. Help
- Definition: make it easier or possible for (someone) to do something by offering one’s services or resources
- Synonyms: assist, aid, help out, lend a hand to
- Example: They are always finding new ways to help each other.
7. Highlight
- Definition: to attract attention to or emphasize something important
- Synonyms: call attention to, spotlight, foreground
- Example: The report highlights the need for improved safety.
8. Honor
- Definition: regard with great respect
- Synonyms: admire, respect, appreciate
- Example: We are honored that you have come to speak to our students.
9. Hope
- Definition: to want something to happen or to be true, and usually have a good reason to think that it might
- Synonyms: expect, anticipate, want
- Example: We have to hope and pray that the operation will go well.
10. Husband
- Definition: use (resources) economically
- Synonyms: preserve, conserve, use sparingly
- Example: Our country has husbanded its resources well.
Verbs That Start with H to Describe a Person
While most adjectives are used for description, in this article we’ll go through some verbs that start with H to describe a person. Some of these H verbs might be used to describe positive attributes and some for negative. Let’s have a look.
1. Humble
- Definition: to make someone understand that they are not as important or special as they thought
- Synonyms: demean, belittle, degrade
- Example: He was humbled by the child’s generosity.
2. Hack
- Definition: gain unauthorized access to data in a system
- Synonyms: cut, chop, hew, lop, saw
- Example: He hacked into the bank’s computer system in an instant.
3. Handle
- Definition: manage a situation or problem
- Synonyms: govern, conduct, guide
- Example: Another aspect of being a teacher is to handle your students properly.
4. Hide
- Definition: keep out of sight
- Synonyms: conceal, secrete, put in a hiding place
- Example: He hid his treasure on an unknown island.
5. Host
- Definition: act as host at (an event) or for (a television or radio program)
- Synonyms: give, throw, hold
- Example: Japan was asked to host a Commonwealth conference in Tokyo.
6. Hesitate
- Definition: pause in indecision before doing something
- Synonyms: pause, delay, hang back, wait, shilly-shally
- Example: She hesitated slightly before answering the detective’s question.
7. Hijack
- Definition: unlawfully seize (an aircraft, ship, or vehicle) in transit and force it to go to a different destination or use it for one’s purposes
- Synonyms: commandeer, seize, take over, take possession of, skyjack
- Example: A man armed with weapons hijacked the plane a week ago.
8. Hone
- Definition: sharpen (a blade)
- Synonyms: sharpen, make sharper, make sharp, whet
- Example: He was carefully honing the curved blade.
9. Hypnotize
- Definition: produce a state of hypnosis in (someone)
- Synonyms: mesmerize, send into a trance, put under, put out, put to sleep
- Example: A witness had been hypnotized to enhance his memory.
10. Harness
- Definition: control and make use of (natural resources), especially to produce energy
- Synonyms: control, utilize, use
- Example: He made several attempts to harness solar energy and succeeded in the end.
Verbs That Start with H – Full List (226 Words)
We hope you were able to find some reconcilable words to spice up your writing style. Anyhow, here is a list of verbs that start with H which we absorbed in this article and some more recommended for you to learn yourself.
- Harvest
- Heave
- Hear
- Hat
- Hobnob
- Habit
- Honour
- Hood
- Hail
- Hover
- Hone
- Hydrate
- Harrow
- Humiliate
- Halve
- Honk
- Hug
- Hoist
- Hash
- Haggle
- Hallow
- Hypothecate
- Heel
- Herd
- Hoop
- Harangue
- Honor
- Hit
- Harbinger
- Hectograph
- Hydrolyze
- Haze
- Happen
- Heterodyne
- Hurtle
- Hyperbolize
- Hiccup
- Hedgehop
- Hybridize
- Hellenize
- Hassle
- Hoot
- Heist
- Hurdle
- Hoover
- Hatchel
- Haul
- Heliograph
- Habituate
- Helm
- Hand
- Handstamp
- Halloo
- Hiccough
- Horseshoe
- Hare
- Hole
- Hydroplane
- Ham
- Headline
- Hemstitch
- Humidify
- Harlequin
- Haunt
- Hasten
- Hedge
- Handle
- Homogenize
- Hibachi
- Homologize
- Hide
- Harden
- Hire
- Heed
- Hyphenate
- Heal
- Hate
- Hunch
- Hue
- Halt
- Hobnail
- Huff
- Hydrogenate
- Highjack
- Heft
- Hypostatize
- Hap
- Hunker
- House
- Harbor
- Hurt
- Help
- Harmonize
- Horn
- Hurrah
- Hinge
- Housebreak
- Hike
- Hint
- Hypnotize
- Hang
- Humbug
- Host
- Headquarter
- Hose
- Hie
- Hypostasize
- Handicap
- Highlight
- Hex
- Hoe
- Hock
- Hunger
- Hale
- Hew
- Head
- Hanker
- Heat
- Hollo
- Hiss
- Hearken
- Holystone
- Hoodoo
- Hornswoggle
- Hotfoot
- Hyphen
- Hamstring
- Hijack
- Huddle
- Hype
- Hitchhike
- Hay
- Humble
- Hackle
- Haw
- Hill
- Have
- Hack
- Humanize
- Hemagglutinate
- Harpoon
- Hound
- Hypothesize
- Hustle
- Harry
- Heckle
- Hammer
- Homestead
- Hope
- Harm
- Homer
- Hull
- Harken
- Hark
- Hollow
- Horrify
- Handcuff
- Hector
- Hive
- Hold
- Hop
- Honeymoon
- Hightail
- Hoard
- Handcraft
- Hazard
- Heap
- Hinder
- Hyperextend
- Holiday
- Harbour
- Hypertrophy
- Hearten
- Howl
- Husk
- Hibernate
- Hospitalize
- Humour
- Honeycomb
- Harness
- Hurl
- Huckster
- Hemorrhage
- Honey
- Husband
- Hawk
- Home
- Hatch
- Herald
- Hum
- Holler
- Hopple
- Hobble
- Harp
- Houseclean
- Horse
- Harass
- Hallucinate
- Hem
- Hulk
- Hob
- Habilitate
- Handwrite
- Horsewhip
- Hook
- Harshen
- Hunt
- Higgle
- Hamper
- Hoodwink
- Hoax
- Housekeep
- Heighten
- Hump
- Hesitate
- Hoof
- Hyperventilate
- Hitch
- Humor
- Hasp
- Hurry
- Hog
- Hush
- Hymn
- Halter
- Henna
Final Thoughts on Verbs That Start with H
We believe you were able to filter out some state-of-the-art verbs starting with H that will compliment your style and juice up your statements. Make sure to employ these verbs to deliver your audience a scoop that will sweep them off their feet.
And don’t waver to utilize these verbs that start with H in your daily conversations, because the worst-case scenario is making mistakes that will eventually become stepping stones to your victory. The rest is up to you.
But before we part ways do tell us about your favorite words from these verbs that begin with H. And if there is something else you would like to add to this list of verbs that start with H please let us know.
