130 Verbs That Start with G [with Definitions and Examples]

To make one’s conversations and writings unique and appealing, one should have a vast encyclopedia of verbs at one’s command, especially verbs that start with G. If you get hold of as many verbs starting with G as possible, you can build for yourself an impressive rapport among other speakers and writers.

An interesting fact about letter G is that it is the seventh letter of the ISO basic Latin alphabets and it was introduced in the Old Latin period as a variant of ‘C’ to distinguish voiced /ɡ/ from voiceless /k/.

It is a common phenomenon that we often channel our thoughts into words and when those words come out of our mouth, a public self-image is created for us in the minds of the addressees. To distinguish our image from rest of the images, we need to come up with a unique set of words. Same is the case with our use of verbs. More verbs we will have up our sleeve, better the chance of creating a resounding public self-image for ourselves. For starters, we can place the verbs beginning with G in that starter pack.

Now let’s jump into the vast encyclopedia of verbs which is not just limited to verbs that start with G to describe a person, place, or animate and inanimate object. Learning verbs that start with G will not just help us in building our vocabulary but will also make us stand apart from the rest.

Verbs That Start with G You Always Use

Let’s start with some of the verbs starting with G that you use on a day-to-day basis both while speaking and writing. These are some of the verbs that start with G that you use regularly.

1. Go   

  • Definition: to travel or to move to another place
  • Synonyms: travel, leave, depart, flee
  • Example: Does this train go to Newcastle?

2. Get

  • Definition: to obtain, buy, or earn something
  • Synonyms: earn, obtain, receive
  • Example: He went to the shop to get some milk.

3. Guess

  • Definition: estimate or conclude something without sufficient information to be sure of being correct
  • Synonyms: presume, predict, suppose
  • Example: She asked me to guess her age.

4. Gift

  • Definition: to present someone with a gift
  • Synonyms: bestow, donate, award
  • Example: Anna’s grandmother gifted her £10,000.

5. Group

  • Definition: put into categories; classify
  • Synonyms: arrange, assemble, associate
  • Example: I grouped the children according to age.

6. Gain           

  • Definition: to get something that is useful, that gives you an advantage
  • Synonyms: achieve, acquire, get, obtain
  • Example: The mayor has gained a lot of support from the teacher’s union.

7. Grow

  • Definition: to increase in size or amount, or to become more advanced or developed
  • Synonyms: develop, flourish, thrive, mature
  • Example: Children grow so quickly.

8. Generate

  • Definition: to bring into existence; produce
  • Synonyms: produce, form, make, bring about
  • Example: A good diplomat generates good will.

9. Grab

  • Definition: to seize suddenly or quickly
  • Synonyms: take, capture, grasp
  • Example: He grabbed me by the collar.

10. Gather

  • Definition: to bring together into one group, collection, or place
  • Synonyms: choose, pick up, accumulate
  • Example: The College is gathering a faculty from all over the country.

Verbs That Start with G You Usually Use

Verbs are at the heart of sentences and clauses; they are indispensable to the formation of a complete thought. Following is a list of verbs starting with G that you usually use in our daily life.

1. Grill 

  • Definition: to cook food over fire or hot coals
  • Synonyms: barbecue, roast, sear
  • Example: Dad was grilling chicken in the back yard.

2. Guarantee

  • Definition: to promise that something will happen or exist
  • Synonyms: assure, affirm, certify, confirm
  • Example: European Airlines guarantees its customers top-quality service.

3. Grade

  • Definition: to give a score to a student’s piece of work
  • Synonyms: value, rate, mark
  • Example: I graded forty tests last night.

4. Glance

  • Definition: to look quickly or briefly
  • Synonyms: peak, gaze, browse, peep
  • Example: He glanced up from his book as I passed.

5. Grieve

  • Definition: to feel or express great sadness
  • Synonyms: lament, cry, bemoan, weep
  • Example: He is still grieving over his wife.

6. Gamble      

  • Definition: to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes
  • Synonyms: bet, wager, challenge, dare
  • Example: I like to gamble when I play cards.

7. Generalize

  • Definition: to make a statement that relates to many people, things, or conditions especially when based on limited facts
  • Synonyms: establish, derive, induce, postulate
  • Example: You can’t generalize about a continent as varied as Africa.

8. Grind

  • Definition: to reduce to fine particles, as by pounding or crushing
  • Synonyms: compress, crush, crunch
  • Example: Shall I grind a little black pepper over your salad?

9. Grin

  • Definition: to smile broadly, especially as an indication of pleasure
  • Synonyms: smirk, beam, smile
  • Example: He grinned at me from the doorway.

10. Gaze

  • Definition: to look steadily and intently, as with great curiosity
  • Synonyms: peek, ogle, gawk, watch
  • Example: Annette gazed admiringly at Warren as he spoke.

Verbs That Start with G You Often Use

Verbs are very important for language development. They also enhance people’s overall expressive language. Below is a list of verbs starting with G that we use more often compared to others to express our thoughts.

1. Google

  • Definition: to search the internet for information about a person, or topic
  • Synonyms: look up, search, explore
  • Example: We googled the new applicant to check her background.

2. Gasp

  • Definition: a sudden, short intake of breath, as in shock or surprise
  • Synonyms: choke, snort, retch
  • Example: “Help me!” he gasped.

3. Gear

  • Definition: to make something ready or suitable for a particular purpose
  • Synonyms: adapt, adjust, suit, blend
  • Example: Our program is geared to the needs of children.

4. Grip

  • Definition: to grasp or seize firmly
  • Synonyms: clutch, clasp, clench
  • Example: The baby gripped my finger with her tiny hand.

5. Glue           

  • Definition: to join things together using glue
  • Synonyms: cement, paste, stick
  • Example: Is it worth trying to glue this plate back together?

6. Grace

  • Definition: to lend or add grace to
  • Synonyms: dignify, distinguish, elevate
  • Example: Many fine paintings graced the rooms of the house.

7. Groom

  • Definition: to clean yourself or an animal
  • Synonyms: brush, clean, comb
  • Example: Polly spends hours in the stables grooming her pony.

8. Grasp

  • Definition: to quickly take something in your hands and hold it firmly
  • Synonyms: clutch, grip, catch, hook
  • Example: Rosie suddenly grasped my hand.

9. Gesture

  • Definition: to use a gesture to express or emphasize something
  • Synonyms: signal, wave, action
  • Example: She gestured meaningfully with the pistol.

10. Giggle

  • Definition: to laugh repeatedly in a quiet but uncontrolled way
  • Synonyms: cackle, chuckle, snicker, titter
  • Example: Stop that giggling in the back row!

Verbs That Start with G You Sometimes Use

In both verbal and written communications, some verbs are used more than the others. Following is a list of verbs starting with G that we don’t use with that much regularity in our daily lives.

1. Grunt    

  • Definition: to make a low, rough noise
  • Synonyms: groan, cry, squawk, squeak
  • Example: The pigs were grunting contentedly as they ate their food.

2. Gulp

  • Definition: to swallow eagerly, or in large drafts or morsels
  • Synonyms: consume, swallow, englut
  • Example: She gulped down her drink and made a hasty exit.

3. Gut

  • Definition: to destroy the interior of
  • Synonyms: decimate, ransack, ravage
  • Example: Fire gutted the building.

4. Govern

  • Definition: to control and direct the public business of a country, city, or group of people
  • Synonyms: administer, control, supervise, dictate
  • Example: The country has been governed by military regimes.

5. Gobble

  • Definition: to eat food too fast
  • Synonyms: devour, gulp, swallow
  • Example: She gobbled her dinner down.

6. Gag            

  • Definition: to restrain by force or authority from freedom of speech
  • Synonyms: constrain, suppress, curb, repress
  • Example: The media has obviously been gagged because nothing has been reported.

7. Gush

  • Definition: to flow or send out quickly and in large amounts
  • Synonyms: cascade, spew, spout, burst
  • Example: Blood was gushing from his nose.

8. Glide

  • Definition: to move easily without any effort
  • Synonyms: sail, skate, soar
  • Example: She came gliding gracefully into the ballroom in a long, flowing gown.

9. Glamorize

  • Definition: to make something seem better than it is and therefore more attractive
  • Synonyms: beautify, adorn, idealize, prettify
  • Example: The ad glamorized life in the army.

10. Gossip

  • Definition: to talk about other people’s private lives
  • Synonyms: blab, babble, tattle, chat
  • Example: People have started to gossip about us.

Verbs That Start with G You Occasionally Use

There are certain verbs that we only use in a specific situation to a specific person. These are some of the verbs beginning with G that are occasionally used in our writing and communication.

1. Gabble

  • Definition: to speak quickly and not clearly so that it is difficult to understand
  • Synonyms: jibber, blab, babble
  • Example: Gina, as usual, was gabbling away on the phone.

2. Gallop

  • Definition: to run rapidly by leaps
  • Synonyms: dart, dash, canter, hasten
  • Example: We galloped through the woods.

3. Gargle

  • Definition: to wash or rinse the throat or mouth with a liquid
  • Synonyms: irrigate, swish, mouthwash
  • Example: The salt does one’s throat good when one gargles.

4. Gloat

  • Definition: dwell on one’s own success or another’s misfortune with smugness or malignant pleasure
  • Synonyms: rejoice, exult, celebrate, whoop
  • Example: She’s continually gloating over her new job.

5. Gnaw

  • Definition: to bite or chew something repeatedly
  • Synonyms: chomp, eat, consume
  • Example: Babies like to gnaw hard objects when they’re teething.

6. Grapple      

  • Definition: to hold someone while fighting with him or her
  • Synonyms: attack, claw, wrestle
  • Example: He briefly grappled with the police officer.

7. Grimace

  • Definition: to make an expression of pain or strong dislike
  • Synonyms: contort, distort, frown, scowl
  • Example: He tried to stand and grimaced with pain.

8. Garner

  • Definition: to collect something, usually after much work or with difficulty
  • Synonyms: amass, pick up, gather, accumulate
  • Example: Coppola garnered several Oscar awards for “The Godfather”.

9. Globalize

  • Definition: to make something become generally accepted all over the world
  • Synonyms: popularize, internationalize
  • Example: Markets are being increasingly globalized.

10. Grease

  • Definition: to put grease or oil on something
  • Synonyms: anoint, oil, butter
  • Example: Grease the tins well before adding the cake mixture.

Verbs That Start with G You Seldom Use

There are a lot of verbs that we don’t come across too often. Following is a list of verbs starting with G that are very seldom used in sentences and clauses that we utter and write.

1. Garble   

  • Definition: to make words or messages unclear and difficult to understand
  • Synonyms: confuse, misquote, misinterpret
  • Example: It’s bad when phones garble conversations.

2. Galvanize

  • Definition: to cause someone to suddenly take action
  • Synonyms: arouse, astonish, excite, motivate
  • Example: Western charities were galvanized by TV pictures of starving people.

3. Gesticulate

  • Definition: to make or use gestures, especially in an animated or excited manner
  • Synonyms: gesture, motion, signal
  • Example: There was a man outside the window gesticulating wildly.

4. Gape

  • Definition: to look in great surprise at someone or something
  • Synonyms: glare, gloat, stare
  • Example: They stood gaping at the pig in the kitchen.

5. Gawk

  • Definition: to look at something or someone in a stupid or rude way
  • Synonyms: glare, ogle, goggle
  • Example: Don’t sit there gawking like that – give me a hand!

6. Gibe           

  • Definition: to utter mocking or scoffing words
  • Synonyms: mock, ridicule, taunt, scoff
  • Example: Michael began to gibe at his cowardice.

7. Glean

  • Definition: to collect information in small amounts and often with difficulty
  • Synonyms: deduce, extract, garner
  • Example: From what I was able to glean, the news isn’t good.

8. Glisten

  • Definition: to shine by reflecting light from a wet or smooth surface
  • Synonyms: flicker, gleam, sparkle
  • Example: His eyes glistened with tears.

9. Grovel

  • Definition: to abase or demean oneself
  • Synonyms: beseech, fawn, cringe
  • Example: I’ll apologize, but I won’t grovel just because I made a mistake.


10. Gouge

  • Definition: to dig or cut into something in a rough or violent way
  • Synonyms: burrow, dig, claw, cut
  • Example: A symbol was gouged into the surface of the wood.

Verbs That Start with G You Rarely Use

There are some verbs that are very rare and are used to a minimal extent in our daily lives. By going through the list given below, confirm it for yourself how many of these verbs starting with G have you heard of?

1. Gainsay 

  • Definition: to refuse to accept something as the truth
  • Synonyms: combat, contravene, disprove
  • Example: Certainly there’s no gainsaying the technical brilliance of his performance.

2. Gambol

  • Definition: to run and jump in a happy way
  • Synonyms: frolic, frisk, hop, jump
  • Example: Lambs were gamboling around in the spring sunshine.

3. Garrote

  • Definition: to kill someone by putting a metal wire or collar around their neck and pulling it
  • Synonyms: assassinate, execute, kill
  • Example: He had been garroted with piano wire.

4. Gerrymander

  • Definition: manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class
  • Synonyms: falsify, rig, manipulate, doctor
  • Example: The government dropped plans to gerrymander rural constituencies.

5. Gestate

  • Definition: to think of and develop an idea slowly in the mind
  • Synonyms: conceive, conceptualize, believe
  • Example: The subconscious mind needs time to gestate the work.

6. Grubstake         

  • Definition: to give money to someone to start a new business in return for part of its profits
  • Synonyms: back, bank, fund
  • Example: If he grubstaked her she would be willing to go fifty-fifty on the book.

7. Grouse

  • Definition: to complain angrily
  • Synonyms: grumble, complain, protest
  • Example: She’s always grousing about how she’s been treated by the management.

8. Genuflect

  • Definition: to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship
  • Synonyms: bow, stoop, kneel
  • Example: People were genuflecting in front of the altar.

9. Gyrate

  • Definition: to move in a circle or spiral, or around a fixed point
  • Synonyms: rotate, revolve, circle
  • Example: A line of male dancers gyrated to the music.

10. Guillotine

  • Definition: to cut someone’s head off using a guillotine
  • Synonyms: decapitate, behead, execute
  • Example: During the French Revolution, thousands of people were guillotined.

Positive Verbs That Start with G

There are some positive verbs that both carry and spread positivity and also describe your skills, results, and accomplishments. These are some of the positive verbs that start with G that you should have at your disposal.

1. Garden  

  • Definition: to take care of a garden, as planting seeds and watering the plants
  • Synonyms: farm, plant, cultivate
  • Example: You’ve probably never gardened in your life.

2. Gad

  • Definition: to go from place to place in the pursuit of pleasure
  • Synonyms: gallivant, roam, rove, wander
  • Example: Don’t think you’ll keep me here while you gad about.

3. Grant

  • Definition: to give or allow someone something,
  • Synonyms: contribute, donate, gift
  • Example: He was granted asylum.

4. Give

  • Definition: to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation
  • Synonyms: award, donate, provide
  • Example: We always try to give to charity.

5. Glorify

  • Definition: to honor with praise, admiration, or worship
  • Synonyms: commend, honor, acclaim, dignify
  • Example: A statue was erected to glorify the country’s national heroes.

6. Glow          

  • Definition: to look attractive because you are happy or healthy
  • Synonyms: brighten, illuminate, glitter
  • Example: The children’s faces were glowing with excitement.

7. Graduate

  • Definition: to complete a first university degree successfully
  • Synonyms: finish, certify, be commissioned
  • Example: After he graduated from high school, he joined the Army.

8. Greet

  • Definition: to address with some form of salutation
  • Synonyms: welcome, receive, salute, address
  • Example: The teacher greeted each child with a friendly “Hello!”

9. Guide

  • Definition: to show someone how to do something
  • Synonyms: advise, instruct, steer
  • Example: He guided us around the city.

10. Guard

  • Definition: to keep safe from harm or danger
  • Synonyms: protect, defend, safeguard
  • Example: A brother guards his sister from all dangers.

Verbs That Start with G – Full List (130 words)

  • Gab
  • Gad
  • Gag
  • Gain
  • Gallivant
  • Gallop
  • Galvanize
  • Gamble
  • Game
  • Gang
  • Gangrene
  • Gape
  • Garb
  • Garble
  • Garden
  • Gargle
  • Garland
  • Garner
  • Garnish
  • Garrote
  • Gash
  • Gasp
  • Gather
  • Gauge
  • Gawk
  • Gear
  • Geld
  • Generalize
  • Generate
  • Gentle
  • Germinate
  • Gesticulate
  • Gesture
  • Get
  • Ghost
  • Gift
  • Giggle
  • Gild
  • Gin
  • Ginger
  • Gird
  • Give
  • Glad
  • Gladden
  • Glad-hand
  • Glamorize
  • Glamour
  • Glance
  • Glare
  • Glaze
  • Gleam
  • Glean
  • Glide
  • Glimmer
  • Glimpse
  • Glisten
  • Glister
  • Glitter
  • Gloat
  • Globalize
  • Glorify
  • Glory
  • Gloss
  • Glove
  • Glow
  • Glue
  • Gnash
  • Gnaw
  • Go
  • Goad
  • Gobble
  • Google
  • Gossip
  • Gouge
  • Govern
  • Grab
  • Grace
  • Grade
  • Graduate
  • Graft
  • Grain
  • Grant
  • Granulate
  • Grapple
  • Grasp
  • Grass
  • Grate
  • Gratify
  • Gravel
  • Gravitate
  • Graze
  • Grease
  • Greet
  • Grieve
  • Grill
  • Grimace
  • Grin
  • Grind
  • Grip
  • Grit
  • Groan
  • Grok
  • Groom
  • Groove
  • Grope
  • Ground
  • Group
  • Grouse
  • Grovel
  • Grow
  • Grub
  • Grubstake
  • Grumble
  • Grunt
  • Guarantee
  • Guard
  • Guerdon
  • Guess
  • Guest
  • Guffaw
  • Guide
  • Guillotine
  • Gulp
  • Gun
  • Gurgle
  • Gush
  • Gussy
  • Gut
  • Guzzle
  • Gyrate

Final Thoughts on Verbs That Start with G

It is hoped that you would have learnt something new about the use of verbs while reading this article. There is a never-ending list of verbs and new verbs are being added to it every now and then. By having a large reservoir of verbs at your disposal, you can bring terseness and compactness in your speech and writing which will indirectly build an impressive public self-image for you in the eyes of your audience. There are a number of verbs that start with G that can help you achieve that output. By inserting such verbs beginning with G in the phrases, clauses and sentences you utter will bring you great success.

Ps. See also positive words that start with G, adjectives that start with G and nouns that start with G.

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