What is a better word than said

acknowledged

(verb) to show or express recognition or realization of.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I heard you,” Jason acknowledged.

added

(verb) to say further.

“Even if it’s not true,“ Evan added, “We’re only speculating.”

answered

(verb) to speak or write in response to; reply to.

“When will I be home? I’ll be home in an hour,” answered Jamie.

articulated

(verb) to give clear and effective utterance to : to put into words.

“Please! Do not bring your textbook tomorrow!” Miss Lim articulated. (submitted by Han Y.)

clarified

(verb) to make (an idea, statement, etc.) clear or intelligible; to free from ambiguity.

“So, we just read up until chapter eight?” Vonnie clarified with the teacher, just to be sure. (submitted by Katherine K.)

commented

(verb) to express an opinion or reaction.

“There are a lot more animals here than yesterday,” Robert commented. (submitted by Nathaniel F.)

conceded

(verb) to acknowledge as true, just, or proper; admit.

“All right, all right, you win. Lincoln was a better president than Grant,” conceded Stephen as he held his palms up in mock surrender.

concurred

(verb) to accord in opinion; agree.

“Shall we dine?” Alice asked. “Indeed!” Bob concurred. (submitted by Anastasia K.)

corrected

(verb) to set or make true, accurate, or right; remove the errors or faults.

“What do you mean, I never take out the trash? I do it every week.” Phylis’ husband corrected.

counseled

(verb) to give counel or advice

“Since your grades are high enough, you should consider applying to Harvard or Yale,” counseled Jerry’s teacher.

deflected

(verb) to prevent something from being directed at you.

“Well, at least I don’t have a huge forehead!” Elizabeth deflected. (submitted by Jaylin)

disagreed

(verb) to differ in opinion; dissent.

“There is no scientific evidence that supports global warming and you know it!” disagreed Kyle as he shook his head at the ignorance of his friend.

disputed

(verb) to argue against; call in question.

“No, no, no, I disagree with you. NASA landing on the moon is not a hoax!” Jason disputed as the class watched the historical footage.

explained

(verb) to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible.

“No, no, no, you don’t understand. What I was saying was that I would take the trash out right after I finished my homework,” Claude explained, as his mother looked at him with a stern expression on her face.

interjected

(verb) to say something while another person is speaking.

“That’s a lie!” Wayne interjected.

reassured

(verb) to restore to assurance or confidence.

“It’ll be okay,” she reassured, as she wiped a tear from my eye.” (submitted by Reagan H.)

remarked

(verb) to note; to perceive; to observe.

“Tom doesn’t look like he’s feeling well today,” Sue remarked.

replied

(verb) to respond in words or writing.

“Of course I’ll go to the movies with you,” Anne replied.

responded

(verb) to say something in return: make an answer.

“The capital of Illinois is Springfield,” reponded Jenny after the teacher called upon her to answer the question.

stated

(verb) to declare definitely or specifically.

“We won the basketball game tonight because our team made no mistakes,” stated the coach.

babbled

(verb) to talk idly, irrationally, excessively, or foolishly; chatter or prattle.

“Oh my gosh, it’s so awesome, and I got it at FAO Schwartz last year, and I wish you could share it with me…” Phil babbled. (submitted by Mia M.)

chatted

(verb) to converse in a familiar or informal manner.

“I had a quiz in math today, which I got an “A” on, by the way. And Jessica, who sits next to me in English class, was sick today,” chatted Helga at the dinner table.

chattered

(verb) to talk rapidly in a foolish or purposeless way; jabber.

“I started off with breakfast this morning and after that I played video games all morning. Then I ate lunch and after that I played video games all afternoon. Then I ate supper and after that I played video games some more. All in all, it’s been a very good day,” chattered James as he got ready for bed.

effused

(verb) to talk in an unrestrained, excited manner.

“You look so radiant, so stunning, so fabulous in that dress, that I, I, I, just don’t know what to say,” effused Alice.

jabbered

(verb) to talk or utter rapidly, indistinctly, incoherently, or nonsensically; chatter.

“Haven’t you heard? June’s gonna be selling tickets to the game. I can’t wait, it’s gonna be so great!” Andrew jabbered, jumping up and down eagerly. (submitted by Jackie L.)

nattered (U.K.)

(verb) to talk incessantly; chatter.

“After lunch we went to the mall where we went shopping. Then we got ice cream. Then we we went home and I played video games untilit was time for bed,” Jake nattered.

prattled

(verb) to speak foolishly.

“Oh my goodness, I can’t believe you actuallly got me an XBox one for my Birthday! I mean, I’ve always wanted one, but I didn’t think I’d actually get one. This is so exciting I can’t hardly stand it,” prattled Andy as he tore the wrapping paper off his present.

“Well, I think he’s mean because… just because!” Adaline prattled, sticking up her chin defiantly. (submitted by Jackie L.)

rambled

(verb) to talk or write in a discursive, aimless way.

“Well first, we went to the park, and then we played on the swings, and then we went over to slide,” rambled Johnnie.

yakked

(verb) to talk persistently, chatter.

“He was a man loaded with money, or so I had thought – well, at least he gave me the impression that he was wealthy,” yakked Robert, who hadn’t even noticed that John had stopped listening and was playing with his phone.

yapped

(verb) talk at length in an irritating manner.

“Before any of you start complaining about how you think I am too sensitive, please please don’t even bother. I really don’t care what you think because your opinions don’t really matter to me,” yapped Nelson, who wasn’t overly concerned about anyone’s feelings except his own.

concluded

(verb) to bring to an end; finish; terminate.

“Those are the reasons why everyone should this story,” Alice concluded, finishing up her her oral book report.

considered

(verb) think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision.

“I wonder,” Billy considered, “whether or not I should try out for percussion.” (submitted by Nathan F.)

countered

(verb) to meet attacks or arguments with defensive or retaliatory steps.

“I did to clean my room!” countered Billy.

debated

(verb) to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments

“Man does indeed have free will,” debated Ted.

refuted

(verb) to prove wrong by argument or evidence: show to be false or erroneous.

“That’s not true, I wasn’t even in town Wednesday afternoon!” refuted Wendy.

hypothesized

(verb) to assume by hypothesis (an assumption or concession made for the sake of argument).

“Machu Picchu was the birthplace of the first Inca and the hub of the Inca civilization,” hypothesized Professor Milbourne.

noted

(verb) to make special mention of or remark on

“I see that you forgot your homework again,” noted Kyle’s algebra teacher.

objected

(verb) to offer a reason or argument in opposition.

“I did not hit Bob first, he hit me first,” objected Tim as his mother started to scold him.

pointed out

(verb) to direct attention to.

“If you get caught, you’ll be in big trouble,” Gabriel pointed out as he watched his older brother climb out the bedroom window.

pondered

(verb) to think about; reflect on.

“I wonder what would happen if I added salt to my cola,” Wayne pondered.

proposed

(verb) to offer or suggest for consideration, acceptance, or action.

“Why don’t I take the girls shopping while you play video games with the boys here at home?” proposed the children’s mother.

reasoned

(verb) to discover, formulate, or conclude by the use of reason.

“It’s impossible to finish by tomorrow,” Ashley reasoned. “Can’t we have another day?” (submitted by Sarah S.)

rebutted

(verb) to contradict or oppose by formal legal argument, plea, or countervailing proof

“I hadn’t even arrived here when the murder happened,” Vivian rebutted. (submitted by Penelope Castiglione)

reiterated

(verb) to repeat something you have already said in order to emphasize it.

“For the last time, whales do not eat humans,” reiterated Bob as he wondered how many times he would have to repeat himself.

rejoined

(verb) to say in answer; reply, especially to counterreply.

“No, no, no. You just took what I said out of context,” rejoined Hamilton.

reported

(verb) to give a formal or official account or statement of something.

“The test is going to be on classifying animals,” reported the teacher. (submitted by Nora D.)

restated

(verb) to state again or in a new way.

“Go clean your room,” restated Alan’s mother.

speculated

(verb) to indulge in conjectural thought.

“I think I had better study for the algebra test this Friday,” speculated Fred.

surmised

(verb) to think or infer without certain or strong evidence; conjecture; guess.

“Looking back on it, I think that Julie planned this all along,” Jacob surmised.

testified

(verb) to bear witness; give evidence.

“Well your honor, there is no evidence that he stole the diamond,” the lawyer testified. (submitted by Grace R.)

theorized

(verb) to form a theory about. (a theory is a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.)

“How you define gravity, defines the model of the universe,” Professor Belvidere theorized.

verified

(verb) make sure or demonstrate that (something) is true, accurate, or justified.

“That is indeed a dog,” Leo verified. (submitted by Claire E.)

bantered

(verb) to exchange remarks in a good-humoured teasing way.

“Sure Phil, you always get a 100 on your math tests, but I’ll bet that today you’ll only get a 98,” Carol bantered.

chortled

(verb) to chuckle gleefully.

“Aw, you try so hard to impress me!” I chortled in joy. (submitted by Brianna L.)

chuckled

(verb) to laugh softly or amusedly, usually with satisfaction.

Hank walked out of the classroom, softly closing the door behind him. He glanced up and down the hallway, making sure that no one saw him, and chuckled. “This will be the best practical joke ever.”

giggled

(verb) to laugh in a silly, often high-pitched way, especially with short, repeated gasps and titters, as from juvenile or ill-concealed amusement or nervous embarrassment.

“Johnny’s looking at me isn’t he?” giggled Leslie as she playfully ran her fingers through her hair.

guffawed

(verb) to laugh loudly and boisterously.

“You sure are funny,” Peter guffawed as he slapped his friend on the back.

jested

(verb) a joke or witty remark; witticism.

“Sure I have plenty of money. In fact, it grows on a tree in my backyard,” jested Jim.

joked

(verb) to speak or act in a playful or merry way.

“Let me tell you about the time I tried to open my house door with my car keys” joked Robert.

joshed

(intansitive verb) to engage in banter: joke.
(verb) to tease good-naturedly: kid.

“You may be a fast runner, but you’re not as fast as Superman,” joshed Ken as he congratulated his friend on winning the race.

advised

(verb) to give counsel to; offer an opinion or suggestion as worth following.

“You should wear a helmet when you ride a bike,” advised the police officer.

appealed

(verb) to ask for aid, support, mercy, sympathy, or the like; make an earnest entreaty.

“Eveyone please calm down,” appealed the teacher after announcing the pop quiz.

asserted

(verb) to state with assurance, confidence, or force; state strongly or positively; affirm

“How dare you accuse me of stealing your necklace! I did not steal it and you know it!” Sheila asserted.

assured

(verb) to declare earnestly to; inform or tell positively; state with confidence.

“The monsters don’t come out during the day,” assured Mack. (submitted by Kayla F.)

avowed

(verb) to declare frankly or openly; own; acknowledge; confess; admit.

“I have not eaten chocolate for over thirty days!” she avowed rather forcefully.

begged

(verb) to ask humbly or earnestly.

“Please don’t make me eat the beets; they make me gag.” Mandy begged.

beseeched

(verb) to implore urgently.

“Please, please don’t marry him. He’s the wrong man for you,” beseeched Mary when she heard that her sister had gotten engaged.

cajoled

(verb) to persuade by flattery or promises; wheedle; coax.

“Come on Dad, please take me to the mall. You want to get out of the house anyway, don’t you?” Sally cajoled as she pulled her dad up off the sofa.

claimed

(verb) to assert or maintain as a fact.

“Everybody knows that Jacob cheated on the test,” claimed Billy.

convinced

(verb) to persuade.

“I know that dog belongs to Mr. Jennings next door, because I saw him bring it home yesterday,” nodded Terry as he convinced his sister that the dog next door really did belong there.

directed

(verb) to give authoritative instructions to; command; order or ordain:

“You in the orange skirt, sit down right now!” directed the teacher as she stood at her desk, looking at the new students.

encouraged

(verb) to inspire with courage or confidence.

“Do it,” he encouraged. (submitted by Alysha B.)

entreated

(verb) to ask earnestly; beseech; implore; beg.

“Please Dad, please, can we go to the water park this weekend?” entreated Melissa.

implored

(verb) to beg urgently or piteously, as for aid or mercy; beseech; entreat.

“Please, please, don’t make me go into the haunted house; I don’t like it there,” implored Tim as he and his brother walked up to the old abanded shack.

needled

(verb) to prod or goad (someone) to a specific action. Can also be defined as: to tease.

“Come on, go shopping with me. Don’t make go by myself,” needled Jenny as she tried to pull her older sister off the chair.

pleaded (pled)

(verb) to appeal or entreat earnestly.

“Please, Dad, can we go out to eat tonight, please?” pleaded Timmy.

probed

(verb) to search into and explore very thoroughly : subject to a penetrating investigation

“Where were you between the hours of five and seven on the night of the murder?” The detective probed. (submitted by Sophie F.)

prodded

(verb) to urge someone on.

“And?” Amy prodded when Ken fell silent.

prompted

(verb) to move to action : incite

“Go on, Larry, kiss her,” prompted Harold, “you know you want to.”

soothed

(verb) to bring comfort, solace, or reassurance to.

“There, there, it’s alright now,” Robin soothed as she lifted her crying baby up out of the crib.

stressed

(verb) to lay stress on; to emphasize.

“I need it!” he stressed. (submitted by K.J.)

suggested

(verb) to mention or introduce (an idea, proposition, plan, etc.) for consideration or possible action.

“You should consider purchasing a Corvette instead the Camaro,” suggested the car salesman.

urged

(verb) to make entreaties or earnest recommendations.

“Go, GO!” Gatlin urged, pushing her sister out the door. (submitted by Katherine K.)

bragged

(verb) to use boastful language; boast

“I’m so good at this game that there is no one who can beat my score,” bragged James as he walked out of the arcade.

dared

(verb) to challenge or provoke a person into a demonstration of courage; defy.

“Go ahead and punch me, you coward!” Jason dared his older brother.

gibed

(verb) to utter mocking or scoffing words; jeer.

“Still afraid of the dark, aren’t you!” gibed Tom at Sam’s cowardice.

goaded

(verb) to cause someone to do something by being annoying.

“Come on you ninny, hit me in the face,” goaded Stan as he glared angrily at Phil.

insulted

(verb) to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.

“Betty isn’t just plain, she’s ugly, and I don’t like her,”insulted Samantha.

jeered

(verb) to speak or shout derisively; scoff or gibe rudely.

“You’re the worst actor I’ve ever seen!” jeered Thomas. “Get off the stage now!”

lied

(verb) to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.

“Of course I turned in my homework,” Jim lied. (submitted by Owen M.)

mimicked

(verb) to imitate or copy in action, speech, etc., often playfully or derisively.

“Mom, Billy’s touching me,” mimicked Billy, as he perfectly copied his sisters voice.

nagged

(verb) to annoy by persistent faultfinding, complaints, or demands.

“For the umpteenth time, take out the garbage! How many times do I have to tell you?” nagged Ken’s wife.

provoked

(verb) to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.

“You couldn’t lift a one pound weight with those scrawny arms,” provoked Jim as he watched Dale struggle at the weight machine.

quipped

(verb) to utter quips (a sharp, sarcastic remark; a cutting jest).

“Do I think Jason is smart? I’ve met rocks that are smarter than him,” quipped Alfred.

ribbed

(verb) to poke fun at, or to tease.

“Who’s that, your boyfriend?” Rowan ribbed, jabbing Tom in the side with her elbow as he shoved her away and fought a smile. (submitted by AJ)

ridiculed

(verb) to deride; make fun of.

“You throw like a girl,” ridiculed Nelson after he watched Thomas throw a baseball.

sassed

(verb) rude or disrespectful back talk.

“I don’t care what you want me to do. I am not going to eat my beets!” sassed Sally at the dinner table.

smirked

(verb) to smile in an affected, smug, or offensively familiar way.

“I got you good that time,” smirked Ivan.

snickered

(verb) to laugh in a half-suppressed, indecorous or disrespectful manner.

“Sorry, Barry, but they didn’t pick you for the football team,” snickered Shawn. “They picked me instead of you.”

taunted

(verb) to reproach in a sarcastic, insulting, or jeering manner; mock.

“You couldn’t win a game of tennis if you’re life depended on it!” taunted Gary from the sideline.

tempted

(verb) to entice or allure to do something often regarded as unwise, wrong, or immoral.

“Go on Alex, steal that pack of cigarettes,” tempted Thomas. “No one will ever know.”

affirmed

(verb) to express agreement with or commitment to; uphold; support.

“You were right. The first space shuttle was launched in 1981,” Randy affirmed.

attested

(verb) to affirm to be true or genuine.

“He’s guilty. I saw him stabbing the knife in her back,” I attested to the charges against the man in handcuffs. (submitted by Candice R.)

blustered

(verb) to utter with noisy self-assertiveness.

“I don’t care about your opinion!” Carl blustered as the realization set in that he had lost the argument.

decided

(verb) to determine or settle (something in dispute or doubt).

“I think I’ll take a chocolate ice cream cone,” Larry decided as he looked at all the flavors.

declared

(verb) to make known or state clearly, especially in explicit or formal terms.

“I love bunnies,” Mila declared. (submitted by Lena (Sprinkles) W.)

defended

(verb) to support in the face of criticism.

“He didn’t mean to,” defended Michael quickly. (submitted by Alexa C.)

insisted

(verb) to demand strongly; to state firmly.

“But I saw it happen with my own eyes!” Clara insisted, her face becoming colored. (submitted by Elizabeth P.)

maintained

(verb) to affirm; assert; declare.

“We must never trade our Constitution for communism,” maintained the senator as he addressed the assembly.

vowed

(verb) to promise solemnly.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Tessa vowed. (submitted by Reagan H.)

asked

(verb) to put a question to; inquire of.

“What is the capitol of Vermont?” asked Wilbur.

challenged

(verb) to take exception to; call in question.

“Why are you always blaming me?” challenged Andy.

“Billy! What are you doing in my room?” Lisa challenged.

coaxed

(verb) to attempt to influence by gentle persuasion, flattery, etc.; cajole:

“You do want to grow up to be big boy don’t you?” coaxed the toddler’s mother as she tried to feed him some beets.

hinted

(verb) to make indirect suggestion or allusion; subtly imply.

“You do think I look pretty in this dress don’t you?” hinted Amy as she winked mischievously at Bill.

inquired

(verb) to seek information by questioning; ask:

“Can you tell me what the capital of Mississippi is?” inquired Leland.

pleaded (pled)

(verb) to appeal or entreat earnestly:

“Won’t you please stay for dinner?” pleaded Catherine as Nathan headed for the door.

puzzled

(verb) unable to understand; perplexed or confused.

“Am I the only one who doesn’t understand that math formula?” puzzled Dan as he raised his hand to ask the teacher a question.

“Why did you cheat on your math test?” asked my mom as she passed her hand over her face and looked puzzled. (submitted by Cindy P.)

queried

(verb) to ask or inquiry about.

“Are you sure that will work?” queried Jeff.

questioned

(verb) to ask or inquiry about.

“Are you sure want me to turn left at the stop light?” questioned Mary.

quizzed

(verb) to question closely.

“What are you talking about?” quizzed Alan.

“What exactly was Humpty Dumpty?” quizzed the teacher after she had read aloud the nursery rhyme.

wondered

(verb) to think or speculate curiously.

“Did he mean to imply that I broke the window?” wondered Alex.

“How many times have I written that?” Stan wondered to himself.

cautioned

(verb) To give warning to; advise or urge to take heed.

“Don’t go in there!” cautioned Bob, “It’s not safe.”

doubted

(verb) to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.

“I know where I am going,” said Tom as he steered the car onto the dark street. “I don’t think you do,” Lisa doubted as she nervously looked out the window.

faltered

(verb) speak hesitatingly or brokenly.

“After the battle at Lexington, the next major event of the Revolutionary War was the, um … was the …” Debbie faltered as she became unsure which battle happened next.

guessed

(verb) to form an estimate or conjecture.

“The capitol of West Virginia is … Fargo?” guessed Sean.

“So you guys all come from rich families, right?” Noah guessed. (submitted by Madeline G.)

hesitated

(verb) to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination.

“The capitol of West Virginia is,” Tom hesitated, “Charleston.”

vacillated

(verb) to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.

“I don’t like Bill. I mean I do, but I don’t,” Alan vacillated.

barked

(verb) to speak or cry out sharply or gruffly.

“Sit down and eat your supper!” barked Tom’s father.

bellowed

(verb) to utter in a loud deep voice.

“Everyone get down and give me 20 pushups!” bellowed the gym teacher as he angrily walked around the students.

boomed

(verb) to cause to resound.

“Be quiet!” boomed the teacher as he tried to regain control of his classroom.

croaked

(verb) to speak with a low, rasping voice.

“Don’t leave me here alone,” he tried to cry out, but it only came out as a croak.

deadpanned

(verb) to speak without expression or tone; to speak sarcastically.

“Oh, yeah, sure, just dump your money into the river,” Babette deadpanned, rolling her eyes. (submitted by Jackie L.)

drawled

(verb) to say or speak in a slow manner, usually prolonging the vowels.

“Hey ya’ll, welcome to my party,” Clare drawled in her thick southern accent.

enunciated

(verb) to utter or pronounce (words, sentences, etc.), especially in an articulate or a particular manner.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” enunciated George, as he clearly pronounced each sylable in each word.

groaned

(verb) to utter a deep, mournful sound expressive of pain or grief.

“I know that Mom said there were no monsters under my bed, but I can still hear them,” groaned Tommy as he pulled the sheets up over his head.

heaved

(verb) to utter laboriously or painfully.

Breathing hard, Jacob stopped running, leaned over and planted his hands on his knees. “I can’t believe I just won that race,” he heaved.

hissed

(verb) to make a sharp sibilant sound: to express disapproval.

“I said to leave me alone,” he hissed.

hollered

(verb) to cry aloud; shout or yell.

“Hey, stop that thief! He just stole my purse!” Anne hollered.

howled

(verb) to utter a similar cry in distress, pain, rage, etc.; wail.

“Ow!” howled Tom. “When I catch you I am going to beat you silly!” Tom rubbed the back of his neck where his little brother’s pea shooter had hit him, and ran off after him.

intoned

(verb) to utter with a particular tone or voice modulation, such as singing or chanting.

“Don’t be concerned,” Lilith gently intoned, “I never meant to insult you.”

lisped

(verb) to pronounce the sibilants s and z imperfectly especially by turning them into th and t͟h

“Buonoths nocheths,” lisped out Bernardo, as he bowed slightly at the waist.

monotoned

(verb) a vocal utterance or series of speech sounds in one unvaried tone.

“The Roman empire didn’t simply emerge and rise up over night. It developed out of a collapsing republic and economic turmoil resulting in a series of civil wars,” monotoned the professor as his students struggled to stay awake.

mumbled

(verb) to speak in a low indistinct manner, almost to an unintelligible extent; mutter.

“Did you just eat the piece of cake that I told you not to eat?” asked Peter’s mother. “Yes,” mumbled Peter as he sheepishly looked down at the frosting on his fingers.

piped

(verb) to speak in a high-pitched or piercing tone.

“I’m over here!” piped Shirley, as she waved her arms, frantically trying to get her boyfriend’s attention.

pronounced

(verb) to enunciate or articulate (sounds, words, sentences, etc.).

“My name is Sur-sha,” pronounced Saoirse.

rattled on

(phrasal verb) to talk rapidly; chatter.

“I like pie, cheese, cake, pizza…” Bob rattled on. (submitted by Emma L.)

roared

(verb) to utter a loud, deep cry or howl, as in excitement, distress, or anger.

“What do you mean, you wrecked my car!” Paul roared.

screamed

(verb) to speak with intense or hysterical emotion.

“I don’t ever want to see you again!” screamed Holly at her now ex-boyfriend.

screeched

(verb) to utter or make a harsh, shrill cry or sound.

“Hey! Watch where you’re driving!” screeched Liz at the car that raced past her while she walked through the parking lot.

shouted

(verb) to utter in a loud voice.

“Alvin! It’s time to come in and wash up for dinner!” shouted Mary from the back door.

shrilled

(verb) to cry shrilly (high-pitched and piercing in sound quality).

“You did what?” shrilled Mark’s mother.

sibilated

(verb) to pronounce or utter (words or speech) with a hissing sound.

“Shhh!” the librarian sibilated.

slurred

(verb) to read, speak, or sing hurriedly and carelessly.

Abigail walked to the front of the class to give her oral book report. She became nervous as she noticed that everyone was looking at her. Hands shaking in fear, she looked down at her report and started to speak. “My book report is on The House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne,” Abigail slurred.

sneezed

(verb) to emit air or breath suddenly, forcibly, and audibly through the nose and mouth by involuntary, spasmodic action.

“I thought you knew I was allergic to daisies.” David scrunched up his face and sneezed. “Please take them out of the room, I can hardly breath.”

stammered

(verb) to speak with involuntary breaks and pauses, or with spasmodic repetitions of syllables or sounds.

“Oh my goodness! There’s a a a g g g ghost standing in the the the hallway!” stammered Clyde as he pointed at the eerie figure.

stuttered

(verb) to speak in such a way that the rhythm is interrupted by repetitions, blocks or spasms, or prolongations of sounds or syllables, sometimes accompanied by contortions of the face and body.

“I d d don’t want to go down th th there. I’m a a a afraid of th th the dark,” stuttered Sam as he stood at the top of the stairs looking down into the dark basement.

thundered

(verb) to utter loud or vehement denunciations, threats, or the like.

“What are you doing out of your room!” Phillip’s dad thundered.

trilled

(verb) to utter as or with or as if with a trill (the rapid vibration of one speech organ against another (as of the tip of the tongue against the teethridge)).

“I will now roll my R’s like this, rrrrrrrrr,” trilled the Spanish teacher.

wheezed

(verb) to make a sound resembling difficult breathing.

“May I sit down here?” wheezed John as he plopped heavily into the chair.

whispered

(verb) to speak softly with little or no vibration of the vocal cords especially to avoid being overheard.

“I don’t like him,” whispered Bob. (submitted by Julie D.)

yelled

(verb) to cry out or speak with a strong, loud, clear sound; shout.

“Get out of here!” he yelled. “The house is on fire!” (submitted by Amelia W.)

accused 

(verb) to charge with a fault, offense, or crime.

“Professor Plum murdered Colonel Mustard!” accused Miss Peacock, as she pointed her finger at Professor Plum.

argued

(verb) to contend in oral disagreement; dispute.

“I do to know what I am talking about!” Wayne argued as he defiantly crossed his arms across his chest.

badgered

(verb) to harass or urge persistently; pester; nag.

“Why are you not responding?” She badgered, poking him in the ribs. (submitted by Rhianna H.)

bickered

(verb) to engage in petulant or peevish argument.

“Well, you didn’t say that we had to do page four!” Camile bickered. (submitted by Elsa N.)

caterwauled

(verb) to protest or complain noisily.

“I don’t want to do it your way,” caterwauled Karl, “I want to do it my way!”

chastised

(verb) to scold, rebuke, or reprimand.

“You should never talk back to your mother,” Lucy chastised, pulling Tony away by his ear. (submitted by Jackie L.)

chided

(verb) to express disapproval of; scold; reproach.

“It’s not your hair that needs to be brushed, it’s your teeth that need it,” chided Mary as she watched her husband in the mirror.

commanded

(verb) to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.

“Go to your room now!” Ralph’s dad commanded.

complained

(verb) to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault.

“Why do I always have to do the dishes? It’s not fair,” Taylor complained.

condemned

(verb) to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on; indicate strong disapproval of; censure. (also) To pronounce to be guilty; sentence to punishment.

“This man is guilty of treason, send him to the dungeon!” condemned the King.

cursed

(verb) to wish or invoke evil, calamity, injury, or destruction upon.

“I hate you and I hope you never get another girlfriend ever!” cursed Jane as she stormed away from her ex-boyfriend.

demanded

(verb) to ask for with proper authority; claim as a right.

“You had better explain yourself, young man!” demanded Phil’s mother as she observed the clothing strewn about his bedroom.

denounced

(verb) to condemn or censure openly or publicly.

“This man is a liar, a thief, and a scoundrel!” the lawyer denounced as he pointed at the man in the witness stand.

exploded

(verb) to burst forth violently or emotionally, especially with noise, laughter, or violent speech.

“You told me this report was finished last Friday!” exploded Bob. “You haven’t even started on it!”

fumed

(verb) to show fretful irritation or anger.

“What do you mean that you’re going to be late again?” fumed Melissa.

growled

(verb) to murmur or complain angrily; grumble.

“How dare you?!” Alfred growled. (submitted by Reina M.)

interrupted

(verb) to stop (a person) in the midst of doing or saying something, especially by an interjected remark.

“Just stop what you’re saying right now!” the teacher interrupted. “This is the third time this week you’ve forgotten your homework!”

ordered

(verb) to direct or command to go or come as specified.

“Go to your room right now!” ordered Frank’s dad.

raged

(verb) to act or speak with fury; show or feel violent anger; fulminate.

“Put down my cup!” raged David’s dad as he attempted to steal the last of the delicious juice. (submitted by Maddy & David)

ranted

(verb) to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner.

“You had better not talk to me Peter Davidson. And that goes for you to Bob, and Steve, and Carl,” ranted Jillian.

retaliated

(verb) to return like for like, especially evil for evil.

“You are an insignificant fool!” she retaliated. (submitted by Arden G.)

retorted

(verb) to answer back, usually sharply.

“What a fine chemistry lab partner you are!” Gus retorted, but the tone of his voice made it obvious that he did not mean it.

scoffed

(verb) to speak derisively; mock; jeer.

“Is that the best you can do? I thought I taught you better than that!” scoffed Pete as his younger brother sung the bat and missed the ball.

scolded

(verb) to find fault with angrily; chide; reprimand.

“Your homework is late again. You know that you are supposed to turn it in on time,” scolded Ralph’s teacher.

scowled

(verb) to have a gloomy or threatening look.

“I’m really mad at Marissa right now. She insulted me just to be popular.” scowled Gloria, even though Marissa was her best friend. (submitted by Nora D.)

seethed

(verb) to be in a state of agitation or excitement.

“You’d never understand how you truly anger me!” Jax seethed in white hot anger. (submitted by Brianna L.)

shot

(verb) to send forth (words, ideas, etc.) rapidly.

“Jason is such a nerd!” shot Wilson as he and his friend hurried past the computer lab so that no one would realize who made the comment.

snapped

(verb) to utter a quick, sharp sentence or speech, especially a command, reproof, retort, etc.

“Get back here right now, young man!” snapped Bill’s dad.

snarled

(verb) to speak in a surly or threatening manner suggestive of a dog’s snarl.

“You’ll pay for this!” snarled the old man as he watched the kids running down the street, away from his broken window.

sneered

(verb) to speak or write in a manner expressive of ridicule, contempt, or scorn.

“You think you’re so smart, getting accepted into Harvard. But you’re not! You’re not,” sneered Larry.

stormed

(verb) to rage or complain with violence or fury.

“You said I was your best friend, not Jill. I hate you! I hate you!” stormed Leah.

swore

(verb) to affirm, assert, or say with solemn earnestness.

“Mark my words; I will get even with you!” swore Lonnie.

threatened

(verb) to indicate impending evil or mischief.

“If you tell mom or dad that I stole this radio, you’ll be sorry!” threatened Joe.

warned

(verb) to admonish or exhort, as to action or conduct.

“Be on time tomorrow, or you’re fired!” warned her boss.

cringed

(verb) to recoil in distaste.

“Ew, I hate tuna,” Riley cringed. (submitted by Cameron B.)

gagged

(verb) to make qips (a clever usually taunting remark).

“I think the baby need a new diaper,” gagged Tom as he walked into the room.

groused

(verb) to grumble; complain.

“I hate it when mom cooks beets for supper,” Steve groused as he walked through the kitchen.

griped

(verb) to complain with grumbling

“I really hate having to do all this homework,” Harold griped.

grunted

(verb) to grumble, as in discontent.

“I really hate that teacher!” grunted Randy as he left the classroom on his way to the Principal’s office.

mocked

(verb) to treat with ridicule or contempt.

“Sure you do,” he mocked, rolling his eyes. “You know everything.” (submitted by Tara N.)

rasped

(verb) to utter with a grating sound.

“You make me sick to my stomach,” rasped Avery as he turned and walked away.

refused

(verb) to decline to accept (something offered).

“There’s no way I’d ever go out on a date with you,” refused Odette as she turned and walked haughtily away from Andy.

sniffed

(verb) to show disdain, contempt.

“I never really liked you anyway!” sniffed Regina.

snorted

(verb) to express scorn, anger, indignation, or surprise by a snort.

“As if I’d ever believe anything that you’d have to say,” snorted Bill.

admitted

(verb) to acknowledge; confess.

“She … she is so gorgeous! Everything about her makes me swoon!” Trenton admitted. (submitted by Brianna L.)

confessed

(verb) to own or admit as true.

“Please don’t tell any spooky stories. I’m afraid of the dark,” confessed Randy as he nervously looked around at the shadows being cast by the campfire.

spilled

(verb) to divulge, disclose, or tell.

“I did it, it’s true. I wasn’t going to tell anyone, but now that you know, I’ll tell you everything,” he spilled.

spluttered

(verb) to talk rapidly and somewhat incoherently, as when confused, excited, or embarrassed.

“No. No, no, no. No. I wasn’t getting another drink…” he spluttered and bit his lip. Looking down he saw the drink in his hand and blushed.

denied

(verb) to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true.

“I am not afraid of the dark,” Randy denied.

fretted

(verb) to become vexed (distressed) or worried.

“I know that I studied for this exam, but I’m not sure I’m ready,” fretted Shirley as she watched the teacher place the exam on her desk.

moaned

(verb) to utter (something) inarticulately or pitifully, as if in lamentation.

“I failed another test. What am I going to tell my parents?” moaned Christopher.

panted

(verb) to breathe hard and quickly, as after exertion.

“Nick, wait! Wait up!” Shelby panted, running towards him. (submitted by Wenny W.)

prayed

(verb) to offer devout petition, praise, thanks, etc., to (God or an object of worship).

“Please, God, don’t let me fail this exam,” prayed Heather.

quavered

(verb) to sound, speak, or sing tremulously. (Tremulous is defined as: characterized by or affected with trembling or tremors.)

“Mom, the monsters are still under my bed,” quavered Tommy.

shivered

(verb) to shake or tremble with cold, fear, excitement, etc.

“H-how’d you get into m-my house?…” Alysa shivered as a man crept closer. (submitted by Alex)

shrieked

(verb) to cry out sharply in a high voice.

“I just saw a ghost!” shrieked Linda.

shuddered

(verb) tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion.

“I’m terrified of the dark,” Alex shuddered. (submitted by Claire E.)

squeaked

(verb) to utter or make a short shrill cry or noise.

“What was that noise?” squeaked Faye as she glanced nervously around the dark room.

squealed

(verb) to make a long, high-pitched cry or noise.

“There’s a cockroach in the sink!” squealed Debbie as she ran out of the kitchen.

whimpered

(verb) to cry with low, plaintive, broken sounds.
(noun) a low, feeble sound expressive of fear or pain.

“You really hurt my feelings,” Courtney whimpered. (submitted by Alyson M.)

“I’m not doing that! It’s too scary!” Donnie Whimpered. (submitted by Jaqcueline N.)

whined

(verb) to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way.

“There’s no way you can just leave and forget about me,” Terry whined in anguish. (submitted by Brianna L.)

worried

(verb) to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.

“What if she doesn’t like me, or thinks that I’m boring? What will I do if I say the say the wrong thing?” worried Jay as he prepared for his first date with Brenda.

exasperated

(verb) to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely.

“This is the last time I help you,” exasperated Maddison as she sighed heavily. (submitted by Maddy & David)

grumbled

(verb) to murmur or mutter in discontent; complain sullenly.

“My boyfriend hasn’t texted me in two days,” grumbled Julie.

huffed

(verb) to utter with indignation or scorn.

“You made a fine mess of this situation,” Rodney huffed.

protested

(verb) to declare (something) firmly and emphatically in the face of stated or implied doubt or in response to an accusation.

“I was not telling a lie!” Lilly protested.

whinged

(verb) to complain fretfully; whine.

“It should have been my turn to go down the slide,” Molly whinged.

approved

(verb) to speak or think favorably of; pronounce or consider agreeable or good; judge favorably.

“Oh my goodness Cindy, I love your new haircut!” approved Emily.

beamed

(verb) to smile radiantly or happily.

“Look everybody, Dad got me a puppy!” beamed Chrissy.

bubbled

(verb) to speak, move, issue forth, or exist in a lively, sparkling manner; exude cheer.

“We’re going to Disneyland! We’re going to Disneyland!” bubbled Danny as he excitedly ran around the room.

burst

(verb) to give sudden expression to or as if to emotion.

“I love you Aiden!” burst Emma. (submitted by Emma L.)

cackled

(verb) to laugh in a shrill, broken manner.

“You’ll never escape!” she cackled. (submitted by Rhianna H.)

cheered

(verb) a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc.

“Way to go Wayne!” cheered Lily as she watched her boyfriend cross the finish line first.

chirped

(verb) to say something in a lively and cheerful way.

“Come sit down,” she chirped, as she scooted over, leaving me a seat. (submitted by Tatum P.)

chorused

(verb) simultaneous utterance in singing, speaking, shouting, etc.

“We won!” chorused Bill with the rest of the crowd at the conclusion of the basketball game.

complimented

(verb) an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration.

“You look nice today,” complimented Ben. (submitted by Nathaniel F.)

congratulated

(verb) to express pleasure to (a person), as on a happy occasion.

“Here’s to our good friend, Randolph, who finally got engaged to Elizabeth,” congratulated Ben.

crowed

(verb) to gloat, boast, or exult.

“Woo-hoo! I made the team!” crowed Karl as he watched the coach post the roster.

exulted

(verb) to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice exceedingly; be highly elated or jubilant.

“Yes!” he exulted, pumping his fist in the air in delight. (submitted by Chris G.)

grinned

(verb) to smile broadly, especially as an indication of pleasure, amusement, or the like.

“My softball team, the Batgirls, won the game against the Sharks!” grinned Sabrina, in spite of the fact that a member of the Sharks was glaring at her. (submitted by Nora D.)

gurgled

(verb) to utter low throaty bubbling noises, esp as a sign of contentment.

“I can’t believe you just did that,” Kathy gurgled with laughter as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

gushed

(verb) to express oneself extravagantly or emotionally; talk effusively.

“I am so proud of my son. He not only made straight A’s, but he’s also on the football team,” gushed Alice as she talked with her neighbor.

hummed

(verb) an inarticulate sound uttered in contemplation, hesitation, dissatisfaction, doubt, etc.

“Shall we leave?” she hummed, grabbing his hand. (submitted by Rhianna H.)

praised

(verb) to express approval or admiration of; commend; extol.

“You ran an excellent race,” praised Samantha’s track coach.

resounded

(verb) to proclaim loudly (praise, disapproval, etc.).

“Long live the king,” the crowd resounded as the royal carriage rolled down the road.

sang

(verb) to proclaim enthusiastically.

“I got an A on my test! I got an A on my test!” sang Rosalynn as she danced down the hallway toward her locker.

simpered

(verb) to smile in a silly, self-conscious way.

“I really like Troy,” she said a little bit too loudly. Then she noticed him looking at her, and simpered.

smiled

(verb) to assume a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement, characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth.

“I am so proud of you,” smiled Joe’s mother.

squealed

(verb) to make a shrill cry or noise.

“I can’t believe we got front row seats!” Ella squealed, jumping up and down. (submitted by Eliza G.)

thanked

(verb) to express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment to.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how much I like your gift,” thanked Alan as he unwrapped the present.

whooped

(verb) to utter a loud cry or shout in expressing enthusiasm, excitement, etc.

“We won! We won!” Peter whooped.

blushed

(verb) to become red in the face especially from shame, modesty, or confusion.

“Are you … asking me on a date?” Minnie blushed, as her heart pounded wildly in her chest. (submitted by Nora V)

breathed

(verb) to control the outgoing breath in producing voice and speech sounds.

“These flowers are so beautiful,” she breathed as she held them close to her chest.

cooed

(verb) to murmur or talk fondly or amorously.

“I’m so glad you asked me to watch this romantic movie with you,” cooed Lila as she snuggled up against Jason.

expressed

(verb) to show, manifest, or reveal.

“I love you more than my words can convey,” expressed Liz as she looked dreamily into Hank’s eyes.

flattered

(verb) to play upon or gratify the vanity of (a person)

“I swear that you’re the prettiest girl in this school,” flattered Greg as he passed by Valerie in the hallway.

flirted

(verb) to behave as if in love without serious intent.

Penelope flipped her long blonde curls and gave a full toothed smile. “Hi Jason,” she flirted shamelessly.

proclaimed

(verb) to announce or declare in an official or formal manner.

“I love you Joshua Jones,” proclaimed Emily for all to hear.

professed

(verb) to declare or admit openly or freely

“Alicia is the love of my life,” Kendall professed.

promised

(verb) to state to someone that you will certainly do something.

“I will love you forever, Kate,” promised Alexander.

purred

(verb) to utter a low, continuous, murmuring sound expressive of contentment or pleasure.

“I just love being with you,” Lisa purred, as she snuggled up close to her boyfriend.

swooned

(verb) to enter a state of hysterical rapture or ecstasy.

“John is just so… so…,” Sally swooned. (submitted by Avalon)

apologized

(verb) to offer an apology or excuse for some fault, insult, failure, or injury.

“I’m really sorry Dad; I didn’t mean to break the window.” apologized Andy as he looked down at the baseball bat in his hands.

aside

(verb) words spoken so as not to be heard by others present.

“I really hope I don’t bomb this test,” Gabby muttered aside. (submitted by Autumn L.)

forgave

(verb) to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.

“It’s okay, I know you didn’t mean to. Let’s be friends again,” Kate forgave. (submitted by Katherine K.)

gulped

(verb) to suppress, subdue, or choke back as if by swallowing.

“Oh no!” gulped Ralph. “I think the teacher just caught me cheating on the exam.”

mumbled

(verb) to speak in a low indistinct manner, almost to an unintelligible extent; mutter.

“I’m sorry I hit you,” mumbled Jake to his sister when his mother forced him to apologize.

murmured

(verb) to speak in a low tone or indistinctly.

“I really wish I had bought the mirrored aviator sunglasses instead of the retro style,” murmured Ted.

muttered

(verb) to utter indistinctly or in a low tone.

“Just because mom likes you best doesn’t mean that anyone else likes you!” muttered Gina softly enough that her sister couldn’t hear.

sighed

(verb) to yearn or long; pine.

“I sure wish Dad was here,” sighed Valerie as she looked at the steam pouring out from under the car’s hood.

wished

(verb) to want; desire; long for.

“I want cake,” Wade wished. (submitted by Emma L.)

bawled

(verb) to cry out loudly and unrestrainedly.

“I can’t believe we lost the game,” bawled Paul as he held his head in his hands while the crowd left the bleachers.

bewailed

(verb) to express deep sorrow for; lament.

“I can’t believe my cat died!” bewailed Cindy, who promptly burst into tears.

blubbered

(verb) an act of weeping noisily and without restraint.

With little prompting, she spilled the whole glorious story in its entirety. Exhausted and tearful, she blubbered, “It’s all my fault.” (submitted by Holly T.)

“He dumped me!” Alyssa blubbered. (submitted by Alyson M.)

comforted

(verb) to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to.

“It’s okay Paul. Our team will win their next game,” comforted Jill as she gently patted Paul on the back.

consoled

(verb) to alleviate or lessen the grief, sorrow, or disappointment of; give solace or comfort.

“I know you failed the test, but don’t worry, you’ll pass the next one,” consoled Bill’s mother.

cried

(verb) to utter inarticulate sounds, especially of lamentation, grief, or suffering, usually with tears.

“I can’t believe that Kathy had to move to another town. I’m going to miss her so much,” cried Wendy as she vainly tried to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.

lamented

(verb) an expression of grief or sorrow.

“Have you seen my kitten? I left the door open and my kiiten got out, and now I can’t find her.” lamented Krista as she looked up and down the street.

sniffled

(verb) to sniff repeatedly, as from a head cold or in repressing tears.

“I still love you,” Sandy sniffled, “even though you don’t love me anymore.”

snivelled

(verb) to speak or act in a whining, sniffling, tearful, or weakly emotional manner.

“I really wanted to go to the park today,” Kylie snivelled as she looked out the window at the rain.

sobbed

(verb) to weep with a convulsive catching of the breath.

“I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “It was my job to protect you and now you’re dead.” (submitted by McKenna Y.)

wailed

(verb) to express deep sorrow for; mourn; lament.

“Why did he leave me? We used to have such a good relationship,” wailed Kayla.

wept

(verb) to express grief, sorrow, or any overpowering emotion by shedding tears; shed tears; cry.

“He never even said goodbye; he’s just like a ghost,” Jessy wept softly, broken hearted over the loss of her husband. (submitted by Brianna L.)

bleated

(verb) to talk complainingly or with a whine.

“But yesterday you said I could go,” she bleated.

blurted

(verb) to utter suddenly or inadvertently; divulge impulsively or unadvisedly.

“It’s true, I ate all the cookies,” blurted Johnnie when his mother gave him a stern look.

exclaimed

(verb) to cry out or speak suddenly and vehemently, as in surprise, strong emotion, or protest.

“I made the team!” Lizzy exclaimed. (submitted by Helenaluciana M)

gasped

(verb) a sudden, short intake of breath, as in shock or surprise.

“It’s gone!” Jake gasped. “My wallet was in my pocket a minute ago, but now it’s gone!”

marveled (U.S.) marvelled (U.K.)

(verb) to show or experience great surprise or admiration.

“You saved my life,” marveled Amy. (submitted by Alison S.)

perplexed

(verb) to be confused or uncertain over something that is not understood.

“I don’t understand,” she said perplexed. (submitted by Elvey T.)

sputtered

(verb) to utter hastily or explosively in confusion or excitement.

“What what what do you mean I failed the exam?” sputtered Wendy. “I thought I aced it.”

yelped

(verb) to call or cry out sharply.

“Ouch!” Tony yelped. “That really hurt!”

groggily

(adverb) dazed and weakened, as from lack of sleep.

“It can’t be time to get up already,” Janice said groggily as her mother attempted to wake her.

lethargically

(adjective) of, relating to, or affected with lethargy; drowsy; sluggish; apathetic.

“What?” Paul asked lethargically as he suddenly realized that the teacher was calling out his name.

listlessly

(adverb) characterized by lack of interest, energy, or spirit.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll get to that right away,” Ralph remarked listlessly after his mother asked him to take out the garbage.

sleepily

(adverb) ready to fall asleep.

“Okay, I’ll get to that next,” Howard responded sleepily from his chair as his eyes closed and his head drooped down to his chest.

sluggishly

(adjective) slow to respond.

“Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night,” Jasmine responded sluggishly. (submitted by Jax O.)

somnolently

(adverb) sleepy, drowsy.

“I don’t think I can keep driving and stay awake,” Adam somnolently exclaimed after he let out a huge yawn.

wearily

(adjective) physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exertion, strain, etc.; fatigued; tired.

“I don’t think I can take another step,” Sam responded wearily as he plopped down onto a nearby log.

yawned

(verb) to open the mouth somewhat involuntarily with a prolonged, deep inhalation and sighing or heavy exhalation, as from drowsiness or boredom.

“I’m not tired at all,” yawned John. (submitted by Logan S.)

acquiesced

(verb) to assent tacitly; submit or comply silently or without protest; agree; consent:

“Okay, okay, I agree with you,” Sam acquiesced.

added

(verb) to say or write further.

“Not only that, but Jill is very smart too,” Joe added.

addressed

(verb) to greet by a prescribed form.

The reporter bypassed everyone else at the table and focused on the man sitting at the head. “Excuse me Mr. Mayor, I’d like to ask you a question, if I may,” he politely addressed the man.

agreed

(verb) to have the same views, emotions, etc.; harmonize in opinion or feeling.

“Yes, that is a good idea, we should go to the movies tonight,” Joyce agreed.

alliterated

(verb) the commencement of two or more words of a word group with the same letter.

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,” Mavis alliterated.

announced

(verb) to state; declare.

“Guess what dear, I’m pregnant!” announced Tim’s wife.

began

(verb) to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start.

“Well,” began Clarence, “It all started when I got out of bed this morning.”

bet

(verb) to make a wager.

“I can get an «A» on that test without even studying!” bet Thomas.

boasted

(verb) to be excessively proud, to brag, or be vain.

“Winning the kickball tournament was as easy as pie,” Sean boasted. (submitted by Kayla F.)

called

(verb) to cry out in a loud voice; shout.

“Good to see you again!” called the shop owner from across the room. (submitted by Rebecca W.)

chimed in

(verb) to break suddenly and unwelcomely into a conversation, as to express agreement or voice an opinion.

“You guys should know that I’m the best in my class at math,” Gary chimed in.

coached

(verb) to give instruction or advice.

“Simon paused, not knowing what to say. “Tell them about your socks,” his dad coached. (submitted by Neil F.)

confided

(verb) to impart secrets trustfully; discuss private matters or problems.

“You can’t tell anyone this, but Bob just asked me to the Prom, and I said no,” Celeste confided to her best friend in a low voice so that none else could hear.

confirmed

(verb) to establish the truth, accuracy, validity, availability, etc.

“She has a concussion,” the nurse confirmed. (submitted by Alorie F.)

continued

(verb) to go on after suspension or interruption.

“As I was saying, before I was so rudely interupted, the reason that I am so good at playing basketball is my incredible speeed,” continued John.

contributed

(verb) to give something: i.e. time, information, suggetions, etc.

“I don’t know what to do!” Sue cried.
“Maybe you could talk to him?” Allen contributed. (submitted by Emilia R.)

conversed

(verb) to talk informally with another or others; exchange views, opinions, etc.,

“I didn’t know that your favorite color was red. Mine is yellow,” conversed Kyle as he waited at the bustop with Jennifer.

crooned

(verb) to sing or speak in a gentle murmuring manner.

“It’s alright, you’re okay,” Melanie crooned. (submitted by Jess D.)

demurred

(verb) to make objection, especially on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object.

“Sure.” He jumped to his feet. “I’m sorry to have kept you.”
“No, no,” Anne demurred. (submitted by Jennie G.)

described

(verb) to tell or depict in written or spoken words; give an account of:

“So, what did the man look like?” The police inquired, desperate for an answer.
“He had light, blonde curly hair and round, black glasses. He had a scar on his cheek, and his skin was really wrinkly.” Mary described. (submitted by Katherine K.)

dictated

(verb) 2 definitions

1. to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record.
2. to give orders.

1. “Tuesday I have a meeting with Mr. Smith at 10 o’clock, followed by a metting at 11 with Mr. Jones,” dictated the lawyer into his voice recorder.
2. “When I say jump, you jump!” dictated the drill sergeant.

disclosed

(verb) to make known; reveal or uncover.

“Tommy was trying to look at my answers,” Susan disclosed as she handed the teacher her test.

divulged

(verb) to disclose or reveal (something private, secret, or previously unknown).

“Samantha and I eloped last month and secretly got married. But we haven’t told her parents yet,” Richard divulged to best his friend.

echoed

(verb) to repeat or imitate the words, sentiments, etc., of (a person).

“Stop saying what I’m saying,” Stan echoed back at his sister for the third time.

emphasized

(verb) to give emphasis to; lay stress upon; stress.

“Of course I cheated on the test. Everyone does,” Frank emphasized.

ended

(verb) to come to an end; terminate; cease .

“Of course I did my homework. But it fell on the floor this morning and my dog ate it. Really, he did,” Robert ended feebly, as he wrung his hands and looked nervously at the teacher.

finished

(verb) to come to an end.

“I don’t know I even bother talking to you,” Evelyn finished, as she turned and walked away in a huff.

gloated

(verb) to feel or express great pleasure or satisfaction because of your own success or good luck, or someone else’s failure or bad luck.

“I just won my fourth one on one basketball game this week,” gloated Stanley as he swaggered toward the locker room.

greeted

(verb) to address with some form of salutation; welcome.

“Welcome to our home!” Mrs. Karns greeted fondly, gesturing the young lady to come inside. (submitted by Katherine K.)

imitated

(verb) to mimic; impersonate.

“Mom, Jim’s touching me!” Jim imitated as he gleefully watched his sister stick out her tongue at him.

imparted

(verb) to make known; tell; relate; disclose.

“Study for the exam this Friday, that’s the best advice I can give you,” imparted the history teacher as he dismissed the class.

implied

(verb) to indicate or suggest without being explicitly stated.

“Oh sure, sure, I believe you. You had to work late again,” she implied in a tone that clearly suggested that she did not believe him at all.

informed

(verb) to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance.

“Put your pencils down. The exam is now over,” informed the teacher.

insinuated

(verb) suggest or hint (something bad or reprehensible) in an indirect and unpleasant way.

“I’m not sure that’s true. Max is capable of anything.) Julie insinuated about his involvement in the murder. (submitted by Courtney LK)

insisted

(verb) to demand strongly; to state firmly.

“But I saw it happen with my own eyes!” Clara insisted, her face becoming colored. (submitted by Elizabeth P.)

instructed

(verb) 3 definitions:

1. direct or command someone to do something, especially as an official order.
2. teach (someone) a subject or skill.
3. inform (someone) of a fact or situation.

1. “Get down and give me twenty pushups!” instructed the coach.
2. “Widen your stance,” the football coach instructed the blocker.
3. “If you study, you will pass the exam,” the teacher instructed the class.

lectured

(verb) to rebuke or reprimand at some length.

“All of you knew last week that I was giving the exam today. None of you have an excuse for not studying or being ready,” lectured the teacher.

mentioned

(verb) to refer briefly to; name, specify, or speak of.

“I did tell you about that yesterday,” mentioned Robert’s mother.

motioned

(verb) to direct by a motion (a proposal formally made to a deliberative assembly).

“I declare this meeting to be adjourned,” motioned the mayor.

mouthed

(verb) To form soundlessly, or with less noise than a whisper.

“She’s right behind you,” Jake mouthed.

mused

(verb) to comment thoughtfully or ruminate upon.

“I wonder what she meant by that?” mused Gerald as he watched Linda walk away.

nodded

(verb) to bend (the head) in a short, quick downward movement, as of assent or greeting.

“That’s right,” nodded Jack “there’s no school tomorrow due to parent teacher conferences.”

notified

(verb) to inform (someone) to give notice of.

“No one in this class passed the test,” notified the teacher with a very disappointed expression on her face.

observed

(verb) to see, watch, perceive, or notice.

“The value of gold is even higher today than it was four years ago,” observed the bank president.

offered

(verb) to propose or put forward for consideration.

“We could go to the park,” Aiden offered. (submitted by Harper L.)

opined

(verb) to hold or express an opinion.

“My brother is a genius,” he opined.

peeped

(verb) to speak in a thin, weak voice.

“My dear, would you please fetch my cane,” peeped the old man as he gestured toward the corner of the room.

peppered

(verb) To beset repeatedly, as with questions or requests.

“What’s going to happen? What is that? Do you use that?” Max peppered his Mom with questions. (submitted by Claire E.)

pestered

(verb) to bother persistently with petty annoyances; trouble.

“Come on Dad, I need you to take me to the mall. I really need go, can you take me today?” pestered Judy as she tried to pull her dad up and out of his chair.

pressed

(verb) to urge, pressure.

“Oh, please tell me where he is!” Alexander pressed, staring frantically up at his mother. (submitted by Jackie L.)

prompted

(verb) to supply forgotten lines, lyrics, or the like to an actor, singer, etc.

“If we are true to ourselves, we can not be false to anyone,” prompted the drama teacher when she saw the student portraying Hamlet falter.

put in

(verb) to say something that interrupts someone who is speaking.

“Why don’t we just ask them?” Jimmy suddenly put in as he listed to his brothers wonder what they should get their parents for Christmas.

quoted

(verb) to repeat words from (a book, author, etc.).

“Be sure to make your bed in the bed in the morning,” quoted Angela as she repeated her mother’s words.

read

(verb) to read something out loud.

“The sign says ‘do not trespass’ ” Gabriella read, squinting at the letters. (submitted by Jackie L.)

recalled

(verb) to bring back from memory; recollect; remember.

““The old Boeing 707 jet airliner was a very comfortable plane to fly in,” recalled the old man.

reckoned

(verb) to regard or think of as: consider.

“Centrifugal forces must be an important factor for race car drivers,” Phil reckoned.

recited

(verb) to say something from memory.

“Remember what mother said, Lily: ’Treat others as you wish to be treated,’” Ashley recited, crossing her arms. (submitted by Jackie L.)

recounted

(verb) to give an account of an event or experience.

“No, Mr. Johnson told us that the homework was due on Tuesday,” Sherri recounted, documenting the teachers previous instructions. (submitted by Hannah L.)

related

(verb) to tell; give an account of (an event, circumstance, etc.).

“In the middle of the movie, my boyfriend kissed me,” Jillian related, as her friends waited breathlessly for more details.

remembered

(verb) to recall to the mind by an act or effort of memory; think of again.

“Oh my goodness, I have an appointment with the doctor today!” Quinton remembered.

reminded

(verb) to cause (a person) to remember; cause (a person) to think of someone or something.

“Don’t forget to study for your math test over the weekend!” Mr. McAndrew reminded. (submitted by Katherine K.)

repeated

(verb) to say or utter again (something already said).

“Take out the trash!” Jake’s mother repeated after she noticed the chore had still not been performed.

requested

(verb) to ask for, especially politely or formally.

“May I be excused from the table please?” requested Zachary after he had finished eating.

revealed

(verb) to make known; disclose; divulge.

“Johnny is cheating on his test,” revealed Chrissy as she placed her finished test on the teacher’s desk.

rhymed

(verb) to put into rhyme (identity in sound of some part, especially the end, of words or lines of verse).

“Once upon a morning dreary, I stayed in bed all tired and weary,” rhymed the old man.

spoke

(verb) a simple past tense of speak.

“Please keep your voices down, the baby is asleep,” spoke Maddy in hushed tone, after she gotten everyone’s attention.

started

(verb) to bring up for consideration or discussion.

“Well,” started Jill, “I think we should go to the park.” (submitted by Charlotte C.)

stumbled

(verb) to speak or act in a hesitant or faltering manner.

“Score four and seven . . .” stumbled Gary as he paused, closing his eyes in disbeleif that he just screwed up his line, and then started over, “Four score and seven years ago….”

sympathized

(verb) to be in sympathy or agreement of feeling; share in a feeling

“I know you didn’t mean to do it,” Caroline sympathized.

tartly

(verb) to be sharp in character, spirit, or expression; cutting; biting.

“I already saw that,” Delaney said tartly. (submitted by Claire E.)

teased

(verb) to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling raillery, or other annoyance.

“You can’t possibly run faster than me!” teased Jeff. (submitted by Aditya P.)

tested

(verb) to subject to a test of any kind.

“Are you sure that Annapolis is the capital of Maryland?” tested Billy’s teacher when she saw the look of doubt on his face.

thought outloud

(phrasal verb) to say one’s thoughts so that other people can hear them.

“To solve this algebra equation I’m going to need to figure out what the lowest common denominator is,” Loretta thought aloud, causing the students nearby to turn their heads and look at her.

told

(verb) simple past tense and past participle of tell.

“We talked all about Karen’s date last night.” Martha told her mother.

tried

(intranitive verb) to make an attempt or effort; strive.

“But-but, my dog, he…!” Lisa tried, but her teacher would’t listen. (submitted by Chloe B.)

uttered

(verb) to give audible expression to; speak or pronounce.

“But … why Mr. Anders?” uttered Billy. (submitted by Shawn P.)

ventured

(verb) to undertake to express, as when opposition or resistance appears likely to follow; be bold enough; dare.

“I’m thinking about doing it,” Rhonda ventured. (submitted by Claire E.)

volunteered

(verb) to offer (oneself or one’s services) for some undertaking or purpose.

“I guess I will,” Kathy volunteered, stepping forward. (submitted by Katherine K.)

welcomed

(verb) to greet hospitably with courtesy or cordiality.

“Hello everyone, please come in,” welcomed Mr Lancaster as his nieghbors entered the house.

went on

(verb) to continue happening or doing something as before.

“Anyway, before I was interrupted,” Sammy went on, “I was saying what if we went to the mall?” (submitted by Samantha B.)