In this article, we are going to talk about verbs that start with P. Verb is a word used to indicate an action or state of being. For example: “Emma kicked the ball”, and “John cooked the meal.”
In these two sentences, “kick” and “cook” are describing the action that Emma and John are performing. You will come across a number of such action words starting with P in this article.
Before we dive into the list of verbs that start with P let us talk about the letter P itself first. P is the sixteenth letter of the modern English alphabet and the ISO basic Latin alphabet. An interesting thing to note about letter P is that most of the English words beginning with P are of foreign origin, primarily French, Latin, Greek, and Slavic.
Apart from that most of the verbs that begin with P are positive in nature e.g. play, pray, promise, praise, preserve, promote, protect, and so on. Therefore you will have a pleasant experience reading this article. Without any further ado, let us now go through the list of verbs that start with P.
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Verbs That Start with P You Always Use
There are a lot of verbs that we use on a regular basis in our daily life routine. Below is list of some of those verbs that start with P that we always make use of.
1. Pass
- Definition: move or cause to move in a specified direction
- Synonyms: go, proceed, move
- Example: I passed through towns and villages yesterday.
2. Pause
- Definition: interrupt action or speech briefly
- Synonyms: stop, cease, halt
- Example: We had to pause frequently for breath.
3. Paint
- Definition: cover the surface of something with paint
- Synonyms: decorate, tint, dye
- Example: The ceiling was painted dark grey.
4. Pay
- Definition: give someone money that is due for work done, goods received, or a debt incurred
- Synonyms: reward, reimburse, recompense
- Example: The traveller paid a guide to show him across.
5. Perform
- Definition: carry out, accomplish, or fulfil an action, task, or function
- Synonyms: carry out, do, execute
- Example: I have many duties to perform.
6. Pick
- Definition: detach and remove a flower, fruit, or vegetable from where it is growing
- Synonyms: harvest, collect
- Example: I went to pick some flowers for Jenny’s room.
7. Place
- Definition: put in a particular position
- Synonyms: put down, set
- Example: A newspaper had been placed beside my plate.
8. Plan
- Definition: decide on and make arrangements for in advance
- Synonyms: organize, arrange, work out
- Example: They were planning a trip to Egypt.
9. Play
- Definition: engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose
- Synonyms: frolic, entertain oneself
- Example: The children were playing by a pool.
10. Point
- Definition: direct someone’s attention towards something by extending one’s finger or something held in one’s hand
- Synonyms: aim, spot
- Example: The lads were nudging each other and pointing at me.
Verbs That Start with P You Usually Use
A verb is a doing word that shows an action, an event or a state. Following are some of the verbs starting with P that we usually use in our daily lives.
1. Participate
- Definition: take part in an action or endeavor
- Synonyms: engage, join
- Example: Thousands participated in a nationwide strike.
2. Pray
- Definition: address a prayer to God or another deity
- Synonyms: invoke, call on, implore
- Example: The whole family are praying for Michael.
3. Prefer
- Definition: like one thing or person better than another or others
- Synonyms: choose, select, pick
- Example: I prefer Venice to Rome.
4. Prepare
- Definition: make something ready for use or consideration
- Synonyms: put together, draw up, produce
- Example: Prepare a brief summary of the article.
5. Present
- Definition: to give, provide, or make something known
- Synonyms: award, give
- Example: The winners were presented with medals.
6. Peep
- Definition: look quickly and furtively at something, especially through a narrow opening
- Synonyms: glance, peer
- Example: His door was ajar and she couldn’t resist peeping in.
7. Possess
- Definition: have as belonging to one
- Synonyms: own, have
- Example: I do not possess a television set.
8. Post
- Definition: display a notice in a public place
- Synonyms: affix, attach, hang
- Example: A curt notice had been posted on the door.
9. Pour
- Definition: flow rapidly in a steady stream
- Synonyms: stream, flow, run, gush
- Example: Water poured off the roof.
10. Praise
- Definition: express warm approval or admiration of
- Synonyms: commend, express approval of
- Example: We can’t praise Chris enough—he did a brilliant job.
Verbs That Start with P You Often Use
Verbs are an essential part of speech because a sentence cannot exist without them. Following are some of the verbs beginning with P that we often use in our day-to-day lives.
1. Put
- Definition: move to or place in a particular position
- Synonyms: place, set, put down
- Example: I put my hand out towards her.
2. Pose
- Definition: present or constitute a problem or danger
- Synonyms: constitute, present, create
- Example: The sheer number of visitors is posing a threat to the area.
3. Pop
- Definition: make a light explosive sound
- Synonyms: crack, snap
- Example: Corks popped and glasses tinkled.
4. Peek
- Definition: look quickly or furtively
- Synonyms: peep, spy
- Example: Faces peeked from behind twitched curtains.
5. Pace
- Definition: walk at a steady speed, especially without a particular destination and as an expression of anxiety or annoyance
- Synonyms: walk, stride, tread
- Example: We paced up and down in exasperation.
6. Pack
- Definition: fill a suitcase or bag with clothes and other items needed for travel
- Synonyms: load, stuff, cram
- Example: I packed a bag and left.
7. Permit
- Definition: officially allow someone to do something
- Synonyms: allow, let, authorize
- Example: The law permits councils to monitor any factory emitting smoke.
8. Prove
- Definition: demonstrate the truth or existence of something by evidence or argument
- Synonyms: demonstrate, show
- Example: This concept is difficult to prove.
9. Print
- Definition: produce books, newspapers, etc., by a mechanical process involving the transfer of text or designs to paper
- Synonyms: reproduce, copy
- Example: A thousand copies of the book were printed.
10. Proceed
- Definition: begin a course of action
- Synonyms: get going, move
- Example: The consortium could proceed with the plan.
Verbs That Start with P You Sometimes Use
There are a number of verbs in English language that are not used that often. Following are some of those verbs starting with letter P that are only used sometimes.
1. Publish
- Definition: prepare and issue, a book, journal, or piece of music
- Synonyms: issue, produce
- Example: They have published practical reference books.
2. Pull
- Definition: exert force on someone or something so as to cause movement towards oneself
- Synonyms: tug, haul, drag, draw
- Example: He pulled them down on to the couch.
3. Permeate
- Definition: spread throughout something
- Synonyms: pervade, fill
- Example: The aroma of soup permeated the air.
4. Push
- Definition: exert force on someone or something in order to move them away from oneself
- Synonyms: shove, thrust, propel
- Example: She pushed her glass towards him.
5. Paddle
- Definition: move through the water in a boat using a paddle or paddles.
- Synonyms: row gently, pull, scull
- Example: She paddled along the coast.
6. Peel
- Definition: remove the outer covering or skin from a fruit or vegetable
- Synonyms: pare, skin, strip
- Example: She watched him peel an apple with deliberate care.
7. Penetrate
- Definition: go into or through something, especially with force or effort
- Synonyms: pierce, puncture
- Example: The shrapnel had penetrated his head.
8. Prohibit
- Definition: formally forbid something by law, rule, or other authority
- Synonyms: forbid, ban, bar
- Example: All ivory trafficking between nations is prohibited.
9. Promote
- Definition: support or actively encourage
- Synonyms: encourage, further, advance
- Example: Some regulation is still required to promote competition.
10. Purpose
- Definition: have as one’s intention or objective
- Synonyms: intend, mean, aim
- Example: God has allowed suffering, even purposed it.
Verbs That Start with P You Occasionally Use
Verbs are the building blocks of sentences. Following is a list of verb words that start with P that we only use sometimes in our day-to-day lives.
1. Prompt
- Definition: (of an event or fact) cause or bring about
- Synonyms: bring about, cause,
- Example: The violence prompted a wave of refugees to flee the country.
2. Paraphrase
- Definition: express the meaning of
- Synonyms: reword, rephrase
- Example: You can either quote or paraphrase literary texts.
3. Panel
- Definition: cover a wall or other surface with panels
- Synonyms: cover, shield
- Example: We paneled the wall around the window.
4. Particularize
- Definition: treat individually or in detail
- Synonyms: specify, detail, itemize, list
- Example: He was the first to particularize themes in the poetry.
5. Pepper
- Definition: sprinkle or season food with pepper
- Synonyms: fleck, sprinkle
- Example: I salted and peppered the beef before I browned it.
6. Persist
- Definition: continue in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition
- Synonyms: persevere, continue, carry on
- Example: The minority of drivers persist in drinking.
7. Pervade
- Definition: (especially of a smell) spread through and be perceived in every part of
- Synonyms: permeate, suffuse, fill
- Example: A smell of stale cabbage pervaded the air.
8. Perturb
- Definition: make someone anxious or unsettled
- Synonyms: worry, upset, unsettle
- Example: They were perturbed by her capricious behavior.
9. Personify
- Definition: represent a quality or concept by a figure in human form
- Synonyms: humanize, anthropomorphize, personalize
- Example: In the poem the oak trees are personified.
10. Pervert
- Definition: distort or corrupt the original course, meaning, or state of something
- Synonyms: distort, warp, corrupt
- Example: He was charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
Verbs That Start with P You Seldom Use
Following are some of the action verbs starting with P that are seldom used by us. Learning and then using these verbs properly will help you in both written and oral communications.
1. Padlock
- Definition: secure with a padlock
- Synonyms: lock up, fasten, chain
- Example: His father had padlocked the gate.
2. Palaver
- Definition: talk unproductively and at length
- Synonyms: chatter, gossip
- Example: The boy tried to palaver his mother into letting him stay up later.
3. Palliate
- Definition: make a disease or its symptoms less severe without removing the cause
- Synonyms: alleviate, ease, relieve
- Example: Treatment works by palliating symptoms.
4. Pan
- Definition: criticize severely
- Synonyms: criticize, censure, attack
- Example: The movie was panned by the critics.
5. Parody
- Definition: produce a humorously exaggerated imitation of (a writer, artist, or genre)
- Synonyms: mimic, imitate
- Example: His specialty was parodying schoolgirl fiction.
6. Parley
- Definition: hold a conference with the opposing side to discuss terms
- Synonyms: talk, confer
- Example: The governor was forced to parley with the rebels.
7. Pasteurize
- Definition: to heat something, especially milk, at a controlled temperature for a fixed period of time in order to kill bacteria
- Synonyms: clarify, cleanse, distill
- Example: I always pasteurize my milk.
8. Patronize
- Definition: treat in a way that is apparently kind or helpful but that betrays a feeling of superiority
- Synonyms: humiliate, put down
- Example: It makes sense to patronize a travel agent.
9. Patent
- Definition: obtain a patent for an invention
- Synonyms: secure, obtain
- Example: An invention is not your own until it is patented.
10. Peregrinate
- Definition: travel or wander from place to place
- Synonyms: roam, travel, journey
- Example: We peregrinated over Stanmore, and visited the Castles of Bowes and Brougham.
Positive Verbs That Start with P
Do you want to acquaint yourself with some positive verbs? Go through the list of positive verbs that start with P given below. This list contains some interesting verbs that you would love to learn and use.
1. Pursue
- Definition: to follow someone or something, usually to try to catch him, her, or it
- Synonyms: run after, follow, chase
- Example: The car was pursued by helicopters.
2. Purchase
- Definition: acquire something by paying for it
- Synonyms: buy, acquire, obtain
- Example: Mr. Gill spotted the manuscript at a local auction and purchased it for £1,500.
3. Pardon
- Definition: forgive or excuse a person, error, or offence
- Synonyms: forgive, absolve
- Example: I know Catherine will pardon me.
4. Pave
- Definition: cover a piece of ground with flat stones or bricks
- Synonyms: cover, surface, floor, top
- Example: The yard at the front was paved with flagstones.
5. Promise
- Definition: assure someone that one will definitely do something or that something will happen
- Synonyms: swear, pledge, vow
- Example: He promised to forward my mail.
6. Provide
- Definition: make available for use
- Synonyms: supply, give, issue
- Example: These clubs provide a much appreciated service for this area.
7. Preserve
- Definition: maintain something in its original or existing state
- Synonyms: conserve, protect, maintain
- Example: All records of the past were zealously preserved.
8. Prevent
- Definition: keep something from happening
- Synonyms: stop, avert
- Example: Action must be taken to prevent further accidents.
9. Pacify
- Definition: quell the anger, agitation, or excitement of
- Synonyms: placate, appease, calm
- Example: He had to pacify angry spectators.
10. Plug
- Definition: block or fill in a hole or cavity
- Synonyms: seal, close
- Example: Trucks arrived loaded with gravel to plug the hole and clear the road.
Verbs That Start with P to Describe a Person
Following are some of the verbs that start with P to describe a person. Go through these P verbs and find out what they tell us about other people.
1. Persuade
- Definition: induce someone to do something through reasoning or argument
- Synonyms: coax, convince, make
- Example: I persuaded him to do the right thing.
2. Pledge
- Definition: to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something
- Synonyms: guarantee, pawn, gage
- Example: I’ve been pledged to secrecy.
3. Pant
- Definition: breathe with short, quick breaths, typically from exertion or excitement
- Synonyms: gasp, wheeze, heave, blow
- Example: He was panting when he reached the top.
4. Parade
- Definition: (of troops) assemble for a formal inspection or ceremonial occasion
- Synonyms: march, assemble
- Example: The recruits were due to parade that day.
5. Perish
- Definition: die, especially in a violent or sudden way
- Synonyms: die, expire, be killed
- Example: A great part of his army perished of hunger and disease.
6. Perceive
- Definition: become aware or conscious of something
- Synonyms: discern, recognize
- Example: His mouth fell open as he perceived the truth.
7. Protect
- Definition: keep safe from harm or injury
- Synonyms: safeguard, shield, preserve
- Example: He tried to protect Kelly from the attack.
8. Pretend
- Definition: behave so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not
- Synonyms: profess, pose
- Example: I closed my eyes and pretended I was asleep.
9. Punish
- Definition: inflict a penalty or sanction on someone as retribution for an offence, especially a transgression of a legal or moral code
- Synonyms: penalize, discipline
- Example: I have done wrong and I’m being punished for it.
10. Pamper
- Definition: indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness
- Synonyms: spoil, indulge
- Example: Famous people just love being pampered.
Verbs That Start with P – Full List (276 Words)
Now that you have learnt how to use the above given verbs into sentences, we’ll list them all here together with some more amazing ones. This list of verbs that start with P will help you check P verbs easily.
- Progress
- Particularize
- Propose
- Pitch
- Promote
- Pen
- Prompt
- Prostitute
- Protest
- Permit
- Plunge
- Purpose
- Purr
- Pig
- Piss
- Prejudge
- Pad
- Preside
- Proliferate
- Privilege
- Press
- Pioneer
- Pacify
- Patter
- Provide
- Program
- Plate
- Pervade
- Paper
- Protect
- Ponder
- Polymerize
- Perpetuate
- Peruse
- Pass
- Persevere
- Parody
- Palaver
- Proceed
- Pump
- Propel
- Pair
- Prune
- Pretty
- Peel
- Peg
- Puke
- Presume
- Pain
- Perceive
- Persecute
- Photograph
- Plagiarize
- Prolong
- Paste
- Pact
- Powder
- Putrefy
- Pare
- Post
- Position
- Practice
- Pit
- Present
- Pray
- Paint
- Prescribe
- Paddle
- Pack
- Predispose
- Pension
- Pose
- Pervert
- Pay
- Pulp
- Preform
- Pedal
- Promise
- Paragon
- Personify
- Pore
- Prize
- Pat
- Peep
- Prop
- Populate
- Persuade
- Procrastinate
- Price
- Prohibit
- Paraphrase
- Perforate
- Purify
- Provoke
- Plot
- Prick
- Poison
- Poise
- Partner
- Produce
- Prime
- Philosophize
- Prevaricate
- Parley
- Pilfer
- Put
- Parent
- Postpone
- Pity
- Poke
- Punctuate
- Pardon
- Park
- Pal
- Predetermine
- Punish
- Predict
- Plump
- Plead
- Personalize
- Prospect
- Phosphorate
- Praise
- Pronounce
- Pledge
- Puncture
- Peek
- Perish
- Prosper
- Profess
- Participate
- Proclaim
- Prefer
- Polarize
- Predominate
- Pluck
- Perpetrate
- Purchase
- Precipitate
- Pave
- Pant
- Palm
- Petrify
- Panel
- Pan
- Pasteurize
- Palliate
- Picture
- Plug
- Proctor
- Popularize
- Perfume
- Pine
- Pot
- Pep
- Prove
- Possess
- Pollute
- Process
- Plan
- Pin
- Pinch
- Preexist
- Profit
- Peer
- Pursue
- Pullulate
- Poop
- Plague
- Partition
- Pillage
- Paralyze
- Prey
- Peregrinate
- Postdate
- Patch
- Propulse
- Pilot
- Propagate
- Pick
- Pester
- Prattle
- Pamper
- Pace
- Prevent
- Parade
- Pour
- People
- Pound
- Prevail
- Prepare
- Paw
- Power
- Peak
- Patronize
- Padlock
- Place
- Prosecute
- Pulverize
- Pinion
- Punch
- Picket
- Pivot
- Point
- Permeate
- Pencil
- Protrude
- Puff
- Polish
- Pleasure
- Prowl
- Profile
- Pry
- Perfect
- Promulgate
- Patrol
- Perk
- Perch
- Publish
- Phrase
- Potter
- Pause
- Peck
- Prophesy
- Pierce
- Penetrate
- Percolate
- Profane
- Pull
- Proportion
- Pet
- Portray
- Peddle
- Plaster
- Pepper
- Precede
- Pasture
- Pop
- Plait
- Pile
- Pontificate
- Purge
- Poach
- Push
- Prelude
- Perturb
- Play
- Perspire
- Pirate
- Part
- Pretend
- Preserve
- Presage
- Project
- Perform
- Persist
- Procreate
- Phone
- Premeditate
- Pertain
- Petition
- Pucker
- Preach
- Preoccupy
- Pearl
- Penalize
- Presuppose
- Probe
- Predestinate
- Plunder
- Pirouette
- Please
- Pipe
- Patent
Final Thoughts on Verbs That Start with P
Thank you for reading this list of verbs starting with P. Hopefully you would have got the concept of verbs and their usage in daily life conversations. This concept will get clearer if you will give this article on verb that begin with P a couple of more readings.
It is a well-known fact that if you want to excel in your talks and writings, you must be able to use a wide range of verbs. Practically applying these verbs that start with P in your daily life routine will not just enhance your skill level but also groom your expressive language.
You will also be able to achieve excellence in your speech and writing, if you learn the art of using these verbs that start with P correctly.
