Verbs are essential to the English language, verbs indicate actions, and without them, we wouldn’t be able to describe when someone is moaning. We can also use verbs to describe when things are melting or mended.
Head to our word list for verbs that start with M; you can even use this to teach your students some new verbs starting with M. We've got verbs that start with M for grades 3-6+ ELA vocabulary, ESL, and speakers who want to improve their vocabulary.
Verbs That Start with M for 3rd Grade
3rd-grade action verbs list starting with M. Use this no-prep list to go over action verbs with your students.
Make
- To put something together or build something.
- I'm making a lego tower.
Mimic
- To imitate someone or to copy someone.
- He’s mimicking me!
Melt
- Broken down with heat.
- My ice pop has melted in the sun!
Moan
- To complain about something.
- He’s always moaning!
Marry
- To join two people together legally, in the eyes of the law.
- My mom and dad are married.
Mend
- To fix something that’s broken.
- I need to mend my bike.
Move
- To change position, to go, or pass.
- Could you move out of the way, please?
Mash
- To mix or squash.
- We have mashed potato for dinner.
Match
- To pair objects and put things together.
- My shirt matches my trousers.
Map
- To create a map or to work out something.
- He created a map of all the stars he could see.
Action Verbs Starting with M Activity
Your turn! Look at the pictures, and see if you can make a sentence with the action verbs that start with M.
Verbs Starting with M Activity One
Can you make a sentence with this verb starting with M?
Verbs Starting with M Activity Two
Can you make a sentence with this verb starting with M?
Verbs Starting with M Activity Three
Can you make a sentence with this verb starting with M?
Verbs That Start with M for 4th Grade
Verbs starting with M for 4th graders' word list.
Motivate
- To encourage, give motivation, or inspire.
- Tommy is highly motivated.
Meet
- To see or arrange.
- She’s meeting us at home.
Mope
- To feel sad about a situation, dejected or sulking.
- Stop moping around!
Mingle
- To mix something or to move around a group of people.
- Let’s mingle around the birthday party.
Multiply
- To times something or increase its size.
- Bacteria multiply in warm and moist conditions.
Master
- To become an expert at something.
- He mastered how to play the violin after years of practice.
Miss
- Fail to notice, understand, or even hear, to forget, or feel the absence of something.
- He missed the train because he was late.
Maximize
- Make something bigger or enlarged.
- Children need water to maximize their concentration.
Measure
- To work out the length of something.
- They measured the distance between New York and Delaware.
Mapped
- To plan details of something.
- She mapped out her play date.
Massage
- To rub and move muscles in the body.
- Can you massage my shoulders, please?
Manipulate
- To control or influence something or to work with something skillfully.
- Lions know how to manipulate their prey.
Mourn
- To feel sad about the loss of something, to grieve.
- I’m mourning the loss of my childhood pet.
Maintain
- To keep up, to continue, or to support.
- I’m maintaining good grades at college.
Move-out
- To move out of a place and go somewhere else.
- She’s moving out next week to go to college.
Verbs That Start with M for 5th Grade
These verbs starting with M, are slightly more difficult for 5th graders. There are also examples of phrasal verbs starting with M.
Minorate
- To make smaller or to diminish.
- The population is in minoration.
Misspeak
- To say something incorrectly or when you shouldn’t.
- I’m sorry; I misspoke.
Mill
- To wander or walk around without reason.
- I’m at the shops milling around.
Mislead
- To give someone the wrong idea, lying.
- She told me the tickets were free. She misled me.
Minimize
- To make something smaller.
- You can minimize the dangers of crossing the road by looking left and right.
Marvel
- To be filled with wonder and surprise.
- He marveled at the snow the first time he saw it!
Mull over
- To think about something for a long time.
- They need time to mull it over.
Mark up
- When an amount is added to a price.
- They marked up the price at the mall!
Map Out (Phrasal Verb)
- Plan a specific route or action in detail.
- The plan of action was mapped out in 5 minutes.
Make up (Phrasal Verb)
- To lie about something or to become friends again.
- He’s always making up lies; he told me his dog ate his homework last week!
Meet with (Phrasal Verb)
- To meet with someone.
- I have a meeting with her tomorrow.
Murder
- To kill someone without planning. Informal: to be angry with someone or something.
- She’s going to murder me for breaking her chair!
Manifest
- To display or show something.
- She manifested signs of old age.
Manifesting
- To wish and hope for something, typically life goals.
- She was manifesting good grades for her upcoming math test.
Magnify
- To make something larger than it typically is.
- With this microscope, objects are magnified.
Less Common Verbs That Start With M: With Examples
Here’s a word list of verbs starting with ‘M’ that you may not use all the time.
Meech
- To cower or to keep out of sight.
- He was meeching in the garden, trying to look in!
Metered
- To measure by meters.
- In the U.K., gas and electricity are metered.
Mistrust
- Not having trust in something or someone.
- She mistrusts her new teacher.
Maneuver
- To move with skill and care.
- Maneuver the car so that it’s facing the parking lot.
Maintained
- To keep up, keep going, or keep a current state.
- If you maintain your good behavior, maybe we can look at going to Disney.
Manufactured
- To make something on a huge scale.
- These shoes were manufactured in China.
Tips For Verbs Starting With M
- Remember that verb endings change in the past, present continuous, and future.
- Some verbs are irregular, even verbs starting with ‘M’ such as ‘to meet.’ In the past simple and past participle, you say ‘met and met.’
- When teaching a new verb to your students, try and get them to make as many sentences as they can with the verb, this way, they will stick!
Keep in mind that when you move through all the verbs starting with ‘M,’ there are millions. Every time you learn a new one, write it down and check the definition. Master more verbs and check out our related articles below.