Full List
Babble: To talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way.
- The baby babbled happily in her crib.
Back: To give support or approval to someone or something.
- The mayor backed the new housing project.
Backfire: To have the opposite result of what was intended.
- His plan to embarrass her backfired when everyone took her side.
Backtrack: To go back over the way one has come; to reverse a position.
- The hikers had to backtrack after missing the trail marker.
Bade: (past tense of “bid”) To express a greeting, farewell, or invitation.
- She bade them goodnight before leaving.
Baffle: To confuse or bewilder completely.
- The complicated puzzle baffled even the smartest student.
Bail: To release from jail on payment; also, to remove water from a boat.
- He bailed his friend out of jail after the arrest.
Bake: To cook food in an oven using dry heat.
- She baked a chocolate cake for her sister’s birthday.
Balance: To keep or put something in a steady position so it does not fall.
- He balanced the tray on one hand.
Balk: To suddenly refuse to continue or to do something.
- The horse balked at the jump and refused to move forward.
Ball: To form or gather into a ball or mass.
- She balled the paper in her fist and threw it away.
Balloon: To suddenly increase or swell in size.
- The company’s profits ballooned after the new product launch.
Ban: To officially prohibit something.
- The school has banned phones during class.
Bandage: To cover or dress a wound with a protective strip.
- The nurse bandaged his scraped knee.
Bang: To strike something violently and noisily.
- He banged the door shut in frustration.
Banish: To send someone away as punishment or to forbid.
- The king banished the traitor from the kingdom.
Bank: To deposit money into a financial institution, or to rely on something.
- She banked her paycheck on Friday.
Baptize: To perform a Christian sacrament involving immersion or sprinkling with water.
- The priest baptized the infant during the ceremony.
Bar: To prevent or forbid someone from doing something.
- They were barred from entering the building after hours.
Bare: To uncover or reveal something.
- He bared his teeth in anger.
Bargain: To discuss the conditions of a transaction to reach an agreement, often for a lower price.
- She bargained with the vendor for a better deal.
Bark: To make the sharp sound that a dog makes; also, to speak sharply.
- The dog barked loudly at the stranger.
Barren: (archaic verb) To make unfruitful or unable to produce.
- The drought barrened the once fertile land.
Barricade: To block or defend with an improvised barrier.
- They barricaded the door to keep the intruders out.
Baste: To pour juices or melted fat over meat while cooking.
- He basted the turkey every half hour.
Bat: To hit something with or as if with a bat.
- She batted the ball across the field.
Bathe: To wash oneself or immerse in water.
- The child bathed in the warm tub.
Batter: To strike repeatedly and violently.
- The storm battered the coastline for hours.
Battle: To fight or struggle tenaciously.
- The soldiers battled bravely in the war.
Bawl: To shout or cry loudly.
- The baby bawled until she was fed.
Bay: To utter a deep, prolonged bark, especially by hounds.
- The hounds bayed at the moon.
Beam: To shine brightly or radiantly; to smile broadly.
- She beamed with pride as her son graduated.
Bear: To carry or support; to endure.
- He could hardly bear the pain of the injury.
Beat: To strike repeatedly; to defeat in competition.
- The drummer beat the rhythm loudly.
Beautify: To make beautiful or attractive.
- They beautified the park with flowers and fountains.
Beckon: To gesture for someone to come nearer.
- The teacher beckoned the student to the front of the class.
Befall: To happen or occur, especially by chance or fate.
- Tragedy befell the village during the storm.
Befriend: To act as a friend to someone.
- He befriended the new student at school.
Beg: To ask earnestly or desperately for something.
- She begged him for another chance.
Behave: To act in a particular way, especially in accordance with rules or norms.
- The children behaved well during the ceremony.
Behold: To see or observe, often with wonder.
- They stood to behold the breathtaking sunset.
Belabor: To attack physically or verbally; to explain or stress excessively.
- He belabored the point until everyone grew tired of the lecture.
Belch: To expel gas noisily from the stomach through the mouth.
- He accidentally belched during dinner.
Believe: To accept something as true.
- They believe in the importance of honesty.
Belittle: To make someone or something seem unimportant.
- She felt hurt when he belittled her efforts.
Belong: To be the property of or be in the right place.
- This book belongs to the library.
Bemoan: To express sorrow or complaint about something.
- They bemoaned the loss of their favorite café.
Bend: To curve or cause something to curve.
- He bent the metal rod with his hands.
Berate: To scold or criticize angrily.
- The coach berated the players for their poor performance.
Bereave: To deprive someone of a loved one, especially by death.
- She was bereaved of her husband last year.
Beseech: To ask someone urgently and fervently; to implore.
- He beseeched her to stay just a little longer.
Beset: To trouble or threaten persistently.
- The town was beset by floods each spring.
Besiege: To surround with armed forces; to overwhelm with requests or questions.
- The reporters besieged the celebrity outside the theater.
Bestow: To give or present something, often as an honor or gift.
- The university bestowed an honorary degree upon her.
Bet: To risk something, usually money, on the outcome of an event.
- He bet $50 on the horse race.
Betray: To be disloyal to someone or reveal something secret.
- He betrayed his best friend’s trust.
Better: To improve or surpass in quality or performance.
- She bettered her exam score this year.
Bewilder: To confuse or puzzle completely.
- The complex instructions bewildered the new employee.
Bewitch: To enchant or delight someone; to cast a spell over.
- The magician bewitched the audience with his tricks.
Bid: To offer a price for something; to command or request.
- She bid $200 for the antique vase.
Bind: To tie or fasten tightly; to make someone obligated.
- They bound the boxes with strong rope.
Bite: To use the teeth to cut into something.
- The dog bit the toy in half.
Blab: To reveal secrets or talk too much carelessly. (Hey, that’s me~!
The talk too much part . . .)
- He accidentally blabbed about the surprise party.
Blacken: To make or become black; to damage someone’s reputation.
- The smoke blackened the walls of the house.
Blame: To assign responsibility for a fault or wrong.
- She blamed herself for the mistake.
Blanch: To make white or pale; to briefly boil food.
- He blanched the vegetables before freezing them.
Blank: To suddenly forget something or fail to respond.
- She blanked during the exam and forgot the answer.
Blast: To explode or cause to explode; to make a loud noise.
- The miners blasted through the rock to reach the tunnel.
Blather: To talk foolishly or at length without making much sense.
- He blathered on about his weekend plans.
Blaze: To burn fiercely or brightly; to shine intensely.
- The campfire blazed high into the night sky.
Bleach: To whiten or lighten by removing color.
- She bleached her hair blonde.
Bleed: To lose blood from the body.
- He bled from a cut on his hand.
Blend: To mix different substances together smoothly.
- She blended strawberries and bananas into a smoothie.
Bless: To invoke divine favor upon; to make holy.
- The priest blessed the congregation.
Blight: To damage or spoil something.
- The disease blighted the crops.
Blind: To cause someone to lose sight, temporarily or permanently.
- The bright light blinded him for a moment.
Blink: To close and open the eyes quickly.
- She blinked in surprise at the news.
Blister: To form or cause to form a raised bubble on the skin or surface, often filled with fluid.
- New shoes blistered his heels after the long walk.
Blitz: To attack or do something quickly and intensely.
- The army blitzed the enemy’s defenses at dawn.
Block: To obstruct movement or progress.
- A fallen tree blocked the road.
Bloom: To produce flowers; to flourish or thrive.
- The roses bloomed beautifully in spring.
Blossom: To develop or come into one’s own; to flower.
- Her talent blossomed after years of practice.
Blow: To move air or cause something to move by air; to strike.
- The wind blew the papers off the desk.
Bludgeon: To hit someone with a heavy object; to bully or coerce.
- The robber bludgeoned the guard with a stick.
Bluff: To deceive or mislead by pretending confidence or strength.
- She tried to bluff her way through the exam without studying.
Blunder: To make a careless or stupid mistake.
- He blundered by sending the email to the wrong person.
Blush: To redden in the face from shame, embarrassment, or modesty.
- She blushed when he complimented her.
Board: To get onto or into a ship, aircraft, or vehicle.
- The passengers boarded the plane on time.
Boast: To talk with pride about one’s achievements or possessions.
- He boasted about winning the award.
Bob: To move up and down quickly or repeatedly.
- The cork bobbed on the surface of the water.
Boil: To heat a liquid until it bubbles and turns to vapor.
- She boiled the pasta for dinner.
Bolster: To support or strengthen something.
- The evidence bolstered her argument.
Bolt: To run suddenly and quickly; to fasten with a metal pin or bar.
- The rabbit bolted into the bushes.
Bomb: To attack with explosive devices; to fail badly at something.
- The comedian bombed during his first performance.
Bond: To form a close relationship or connection.
- The team bonded during their training camp.
Bone: To remove bones from meat or fish.
- The chef boned the chicken before cooking.
Boo: To shout in disapproval or displeasure.
- The crowd booed when the referee made a bad call.
