265+ Forceful Verbs to Turn You Into a Literary Tyrannosaurus

265+ Forceful Verbs to Turn You Into a Literary Tyrannosaurus 265+ Forceful Verbs to Turn You Into a Literary Tyrannosaurus Writing is a storytelling medium. Every sentence is an opportunity to tell a part of that story, elaborating on the plot, characters, atmosphere - whatever. This also means that every time the author writes a sentence like, â€Å"Harry opened the door,† they are missing out on a key opportunity to tell us more. What if Harry â€Å"jimmied the door,† or â€Å"threw the door open†?   By using forceful verbs, we get a better sense of what’s happening without many extra words.Why should you use forceful verbs?A lot of the time, it simply comes down to using evocative verbs: doing words that not only tell us what is happening but how it is being done as well. But wait! you say, isn’t that what adverbs are for?Adverbs: who needs them?Adverbs, by definition, are modifiers that writers can use to describe an action:He walked slowlyShe ate voraciouslyThey sleep lightlyThe thing is, more often than not, you can pick a forceful verb that makes the adverb re dundant:He saunteredShe gobbledThey dozedApart from simply being economical with words and avoiding purple prose, however, there are plenty of sound reasons to choose stronger verbs. So, it had come to this: paying his bills by crying for a stock photo. (Photo by  Tom Pumford)â€Å"Show, don’t tell† was made for writing about emotion. If ever you feel the urge to write, â€Å"He was very sad,† then please power down your computer and take a nap. Nobody needs to read that. Instead of telling us how a character feels, show them doing something that reveals this emotion. Why not start by checking out these evocative verbs:BeamBroodCovetCraveFazeFretFrownGlowerHowlScowlSobStareSwoonWailYowlShining verbsâ€Å"Don’t tell me the moon is shining,† Chekhov once wrote. â€Å"Show me the glint of the light on broken glass.† As a tip of the great Russian dramatist and short story maestro, we’ll finish up with some more alternatives for shining.FlickerGleamGlistenGlitterGlowShimmerSizzleSparkleTwinkleWell-chosen, powerful verbs are the secret weapons in a wordsmith’s holster. Always remember that using a bog-standard, overused verb is a missed opportunity. Make every word count, and give your readers something they can get lost in.Have we missed out on your favorite forceful verb? Let us know in the comments below!