Full List
Pacify: To calm the anger, agitation, or excitement of. To bring peace to a situation.
- The teacher tried to pacify the upset student after the argument.
- The treaty was meant to pacify the warring nations.
Pack: To put items into a container for storage or transport. To fill tightly.
- She packed her clothes into a suitcase for the trip.
- The crowd packed the stadium to watch the game.
Paddle: To propel a boat forward using a paddle. To move hands or feet in water.
- They paddled the canoe across the lake.
- The child paddled happily in the shallow pool.
Paint: To apply color or pigment to a surface. To describe vividly in words.
- She painted the walls a soft shade of blue.
- The author painted a grim picture of life during the war.
Pair: To join or connect two things. To form a set or partnership.
- The waiter paired the steak with a fine red wine.
- They paired up for the dance competition.
Palpate: To examine by touch, especially for medical purposes.
- The doctor palpated the patient’s abdomen to check for swelling.
Pamper: To treat with extreme or excessive care and attention.
- She pampered herself with a day at the spa.
Pan: To criticize harshly. To move a camera horizontally across a scene.
- The critic panned the new film as boring and predictable.
- The director panned the camera across the landscape.
Parachute: To descend by means of a parachute.
- The soldiers parachuted into the combat zone at dawn.
Parade: To march or move in a formal procession. To show something off.
- The soldiers paraded through the streets after their victory.
- He paraded his new car in front of his neighbors.
Pardon: To forgive or excuse an offense. To release from legal punishment.
- Please pardon the mess in the living room.
- The governor pardoned the prisoner after ten years of service.
Pare: To trim by cutting away outer edges. To reduce in size or number.
- She pared the apple before eating it.
- The company pared down its staff due to budget cuts.
Park: To bring a vehicle to a stop and leave it temporarily.
- He parked the car in front of the café.
Parody: To imitate in a humorous or exaggerated way.
- The comedian parodied the politician’s speech for laughs.
Part: To separate from someone or something. To divide into pieces.
- They parted ways after college.
- She parted her hair down the middle.
Participate: To take part in an activity.
- Many athletes participated in the marathon.
Partner: To join with someone for a common purpose.
- The two firms partnered to launch a new product.
Pass: To move past something. To succeed in an exam or test.
- The car passed through the tunnel.
- She passed her driving test on the first try.
Paste: To attach or stick something. To insert copied text or data.
- She pasted the photo into her scrapbook.
- You can paste the copied text into the document.
Pat: To touch lightly, usually with the hand.
- He softly patted the dog.
Patch: To repair a hole or tear. To update or fix a computer program.
- She patched her jeans with a piece of fabric.
- The software was patched to remove security issues.
Patrol: To move around an area to maintain order or security.
- Police officers patrolled the neighborhood at night.
Patronize: To support as a customer. To treat someone condescendingly.
- She patronizes the local bookstore every week.
- He hated being patronized by his coworkers.
Pause: To stop temporarily.
- He paused the video to take notes.
Paw: To touch clumsily or roughly. For an animal, to strike with a paw.
- The child pawed through the box of toys.
- The cat pawed at the closed door.
Pay: To give money in exchange for goods or services. To suffer a consequence.
- She paid for her groceries at the counter.
- He paid dearly for his mistakes.
Peal: To ring loudly, especially of bells.
- The church bells pealed at noon.
Peep: To look quickly or secretly. To make a short, high sound.
- She peeped through the keyhole.
- The chicks peeped loudly for food.
Peer: To look closely or carefully.
- He peered into the dark cave.
Peg: To fasten with a peg. To assign a value or label.
- She pegged the laundry to the clothesline.
- The currency was pegged to the U.S. dollar.
Penalize: To subject to a penalty.
- The referee penalized the player for a foul.
Pelt: To attack by throwing objects. To strike repeatedly.
- Protesters pelted the car with eggs.
- Rain pelted the windows all night long.
Penetrate: To pierce or pass into. To understand deeply.
- The bullet penetrated the wall.
- She penetrated the mystery after hours of study.
Perceive: To become aware of through the senses. To interpret or understand.
- She perceived a faint smell of smoke.
- He perceived her silence as disapproval.
Perfect: To make flawless or improve to the highest standard.
- She perfected her recipe over many years.
Perform: To carry out an action. To entertain by acting, singing, or playing music.
- The surgeon performed the operation successfully.
- The band will perform at the festival tonight.
Permit: To allow or give permission.
- Smoking is not permitted inside the building.
Persist: To continue firmly despite difficulty.
- She persisted in her studies despite many obstacles.
Personalize: To make something suitable for an individual.
- You can personalize the gift with a special message.
Persuade: To cause someone to do something through reasoning or argument.
- He persuaded his friend to join the club.
Perturb: To make someone anxious or unsettled.
- The strange news perturbed everyone in the office.
Photograph: To take a picture of something.
- She photographed the sunset over the ocean.
Phrase: To express in words.
- He phrased his request carefully to avoid offense.
Pick: To choose or select. To remove by plucking.
- She picked the red dress from the rack.
- He picked the apple from the tree.
Pierce: To penetrate with a sharp object. To make a hole.
- The needle pierced the fabric easily.
- Her scream pierced the silence.
Pile: To load or stack. To accumulate.
- He piled the books on the desk.
- Dirty laundry piled up in the corner.
Pin: To fasten or secure with a pin. To immobilize.
- She pinned the note to the bulletin board.
- The wrestler pinned his opponent to the mat.
Pine: To yearn deeply. To decline in health from grief or longing.
- She pined for her childhood home.
- He pined away after losing his partner.
Pity: To feel compassion or sympathy for.
- She pitied the stray dog in the rain.
Plague: To cause continual trouble or distress. To afflict with disease.
- He was plagued by doubts about his decision.
- The town was plagued by a deadly illness centuries ago.
