When we think of verbs, we tend to run to action verbs. Those are, you guessed it, verbs that show action such as, “She ran to the grocery store.” But, a stative verb (also known as state verbs) perform a different function.
They express a state, rather than an action. These verbs tend to be less tangible such as, “She feels exhausted” or “He believes she's right.” These verbs often point to emotions, relationships, the senses, or thoughts. Let’s review some stative verb examples for further clarification.
List of Stative Verbs
As you enjoy this comprehensive list of stative verbs, notice these verbs don’t express a moving action, like running, walking, reading, or eating. Rather, they allude to somewhat intangible emotions or inanimate states of being.
- adore - I adore misty mornings.
- agree - He agrees with her thoughts on the novel.
- appear - She appears to be lost.
- appreciate - I appreciate your understanding.
- astonish - The magician astonished the crowd.
- be - Who are you supposed to be?
- believe - Do you believe in life after love?
- belong - You don't belong to this world.
- concern - This conversation doesn't concern you.
- consist - The protein shake consists of raw eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
- contain - This box contains all my bowling trophies.
- cost - Giving that up doesn’t cost you a thing.
- deny - How can you deny your love for him?
- depend - We're depending on you.
- deserve - You don’t deserve this token.
- detest - I detest my brother.
- disagree - Do you disagree with me?
- dislike - He dislikes his sister.
- doubt - I doubt we'll hear from him again.
- equal - Correlation does not equal causation.
- feel - I feel dead inside.
- fit - Can you fit this appointment into your schedule?
- hate - I hate sleeping in late.
- have - We have a problem.
- hear - Can you hear the whip-poor-will calling?
- imagine - Imagine no possessions; it's easy if you try.
- impress - You've impressed us all with your talent.
- include - Her hatred of eating contests includes hot dogs and pizza.
- involve - Eating contests involve open-mouthed chewing.
- know - I know what you said.
- lack - If any of you lacks anything, ask for it.
- like - I like to shop for purses.
- loathe - I loathe a scratchy sweater.
- look - He looks fat on TV.
- love - I love books.
- matter - Nothing else matters.
- mean - What do you mean?
- mind - I don’t mind if you don’t mind.
- need - I don't need my TV.
- owe - Her brother owes her an apology.
- own - We own this house.
- please - You can’t please him.
- possess - The dark witch possesses her soul.
- prefer - I prefer vanilla over chocolate.
- promise - I promise I’m not lying.
- realize - Do you realize the damage you’ve done?
- recognize - I didn't recognize you with that beard.
- remember - You don't remember me, but we've met previously.
- resemble - That bird resembles a raven.
- satisfy - Snickers satisfies.
- see - I see clearly over the horizon.
- seem - She seems nervous.
- smell - The beach smells terrible at low tide.
- sound - It sounds great!
- suppose - I suppose you’re right.
- surprise - He surprised me with tickets to New York.
- taste - The food tastes delicious.
- think - I think she's the best singer.
- understand - I don't understand.
- want - I want to live forever.
- weigh - He weighs 150 pounds.
- wish - I wish for more time.
State Verbs
Verbs are one of the most powerful parts of speech in the English language. They take the subject of the sentence and propel it forward, whether that’s into sudden action or an obvious state of being.
Ready for some more verbal fun? There are other forms of verbs too, including linking verbs and helping verbs. Enjoy a brief overview of verbs here.