Free printable📝 Word Lists · Vocabulary

100 Powerful Verbs for Kids

Age
7–9, 10–12
Skills
vocabulary · sentence structure

Strong verbs do more work than any adjective. Swapping “went” for “stormed” or “said” for “whispered” instantly makes writing sharper and more vivid.

These verbs are grouped by the weak word they can replace, so children can up-level their writing in seconds.

How to use this

  • Find a weak verb in your child's writing and swap it for a stronger one.
  • Match the verb to the feeling: “muttered” and “yelled” both mean “said” but feel very different.

Instead of “went”

dashed
wandered
crept
stormed
raced
trudged
slipped
marched

Instead of “said”

whispered
muttered
yelled
pleaded
announced
snapped
murmured
insisted

Instead of “looked”

glared
gazed
glanced
peered
stared
studied
spied
scanned

Instead of “ate/drank”

gobbled
nibbled
devoured
gulped
sipped
munched
wolfed
slurped

He went to the door and said hello.

He crept to the door and whispered hello.

💡 Two verb swaps change the whole mood.

She looked at the cake and ate it.

She gazed at the cake and devoured it.

💡 Stronger verbs show, not tell.

Success checklist

  • ✅ I can replace a weak verb with a more powerful one.
  • ✅ I can choose a verb that matches the mood I want.

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