Verbs starting with “H” are helpful for English learners. Common action verbs include “help,” “hug,” and “handle.” For example, “She helps her mother cook dinner.” Positive verbs like “hope” and “heal” express good feelings. You can say, “I hope you feel better soon.”
We’ll also explore useful phrasal verbs such as “hurry up” and “hang out,” and provide a complete list of common “H” verbs to help you practice daily. Let’s get started on building your confidence with these helpful verbs!

Verbs Beginning With “H” and along Meaning
Below is a complete list of all verbs beginning with “H,” along with their meanings.
Verbs start with Ha
- Hack – Cut roughly; gain unauthorized computer access; cough
- Haggle – Bargain over a price
- Hail – Greet/acclaim; call a taxi; fall as hail
- Halt – Stop
- Halve – Divide into two equal parts; reduce by half
- Hammer – Hit repeatedly; criticize; force
- Hamper – Hinder/obstruct
- Hand – Give/pass
- Handcuff – Restrain with handcuffs
- Handle – Manage; touch/hold
- Handwrite – Write by hand
- Hang – Suspend; execute by hanging; loiter
- Hanker – Yearn/crave
- Happen – Occur
- Harangue – Lecture angrily
- Harass – Repeatedly annoy/attack
- Harbor – Shelter; keep a thought/feeling
- Harden – Make/become hard or tough
- Hark – Listen (archaic)
- Harm – Injure/damage
- Harmonize – Make harmonious; sing/play in harmony
- Harness – Control/use; fit with a harness
- Harp – Dwell on repeatedly
- Harpoon – Spear with a harpoon
- Harrow – Distress; draw a harrow over
- Harvest – Gather crops
- Hash – Chop; discuss
- Hassle – Annoy/harass
- Hasten – Hurry; cause sooner
- Hatch – Emerge from an egg; devise
- Hate – Dislike intensely
- Haul – Pull/drag; transport
- Haunt – Visit frequently; trouble
- Have – Possess; experience; must
- Hawk – Sell/peddle; clear throat
- Hazard – Risk; venture
Verbs start with He
- Head – Lead; go toward
- Headbutt – Strike with the head
- Headline – Give a headline; be the main attraction
- Heal – Cure/become healthy
- Heap – Pile up
- Hear – Perceive sound
- Hearten – Encourage
- Heat – Make warm
- Heave – Lift/throw with effort; retch
- Heckle – Interrupt/mock
- Hedge – Equivocate; protect against risk; surround with a hedge
- Heed – Pay attention to
- Heel – Follow closely; command a dog; tilt; fit a heel
- Heighten – Increase/intensify
- Help – Assist
- Hem – Sew an edge; surround/enclose
- Hemorrhage – Bleed heavily; lose resources
- Henna – Dye with henna
- Herald – Announce/proclaim
- Herd – Drive/group animals
- Hesitate – Pause from uncertainty
- Hew – Cut/chop; conform
Verbs start with Hi
- Hiccup – Make a hiccup sound
- Hide – Conceal
- Highlight – Emphasize
- Hightail – Move quickly
- Hijack – Seize a vehicle/control
- Hike – Walk; raise
- Hill – Form into a hill; earth up plants (rare)
- Hinder – Obstruct
- Hinge – Depend; attach with a hinge
- Hint – Suggest indirectly
- Hire – Employ; rent
- Hiss – Make a sharp “s” sound
- Hit – Strike
- Hitch – Fasten; hitchhike
- Hive – Put bees in a hive; separate (hive off)
Verbs start with Ho
- Hoard – Stockpile
- Hobble – Limp; tie the legs
- Hobnob – Socialize with
- Hoist – Raise
- Hold – Grasp; contain; organize
- Hole – Make a hole; sink a putt
- Holiday – Spend a holiday (British)
- Hollow – Make hollow
- Home – Return home; provide a home
- Hone – Sharpen; refine
- Honor – Respect; fulfill; accept payment
- Hood – Cover with a hood
- Hoof – Dance/walk; kick (slang)
- Hook – Fasten/catch with a hook
- Hoop – Encircle/bind; score (basketball slang)
- Hoot – Make a hoot; jeer
- Hoover – Vacuum (British trademark)
- Hop – Jump
- Hope – Wish/expect
- Horrify – Shock/frighten
- Horse – Provide with a horse; fool around (“horse around”)
- Hose – Spray with a hose
- Hospitalize – Admit to a hospital
- Host – Present; accommodate
- House – Accommodate; contain
- Hover – Float/remain suspended
- Howl – Make a long loud cry
Verbs start with Hu
- Huddle – Crowd together
- Huff – Blow; show annoyance
- Hug – Embrace
- Hum – Make a low continuous sound
- Humble – Make humble/lower
- Humiliate – Embarrass/shame
- Hunt – Chase; search
- Hurl – Throw forcefully
- Hurry – Move/act quickly
- Hurt – Cause pain/injure
- Hush – Make quiet
- Hustle – Hurry; work energetically; obtain illicitly
Verbs start with Hy
- Hydrate: Supply water
- Hypnotize: Induce hypnosis; fascinate
Common Verbs beginning with H
- hope – to feel optimistic about the future
- heal – to make someone healthy again
- help – to make things easier for someone
- hug – to hold someone closely with affection
- honor – to show respect and admiration
- hearten – to give someone courage or confidence
- harmonize – to bring things into peaceful agreement
- humor – to please or entertain someone
- hail – to praise or greet with enthusiasm
- hug – to embrace warmly
- hale – to pull or drag (also means healthy)
- hallow – to make holy or honor greatly
- handpick – to choose carefully with care
- harbor – to give shelter or protection
- headline – to give top importance to something
- highlight – to emphasize something positive
- homeschool – to educate with care at home
- hone – to sharpen or improve a skill
- hoop – to encircle with support
- huddle – to gather closely for warmth or teamwork
Positive Verbs that start with H
harbor – to give shelter and protection
handpick – to choose carefully with love
hope – to feel optimistic about the future
humor – to entertain and bring joy
hail – to praise or greet with enthusiasm
hug – to embrace warmly with affection
hone – to sharpen or improve a skill
hallow – to honor greatly or make sacred
highlight – to emphasize something positive
help – to make things easier for someone
hoop – to encircle with support
heal – to restore health or well-being
honor – to show respect and admiration
hearten – to give courage or confidence
homeschool – to educate with care at home
huddle – to gather closely for warmth and teamwork
hale – to pull or drag (also means healthy and strong)
hydrate – to keep someone healthy and refreshed
harmonize – to bring into peaceful agreement
headline – to give top importance to something
Action Verbs Starting with H
- hit – to strike something with force
- hold – to grasp or keep in your hands
- hunt – to chase and search for something
- hurry – to move or act quickly
- hammer – to hit repeatedly with a tool
- hand – to give something to someone
- hang – to suspend something from above
- harvest – to gather crops from a field
- haul – to pull or carry something heavy
- head – to move in a certain direction
- heat – to make something warm or hot
- heave – to lift or throw with effort
- highlight – to mark or emphasize something
- hire – to give someone a job
- hook – to catch or fasten with a hook
- howl – to make a long loud cry
- hum – to make a low continuous sound
- hurl – to throw something with great force
Phrasal Verbs that Start with H
- hit out – to attack physically or verbally
- hunt down – to search for and find something
- hide out – to stay in a secret place
- hinge on – to depend on something
- hook up – to connect or meet with someone
- hold out – to resist or extend something
- hang on – to wait or hold firmly
- hang back – to stay behind or hesitate
- hold off – to delay or keep away
- hop off – to get off something quickly
- hang up – to end a phone call or suspend something
- hold back – to stop yourself or someone from progressing
- hold down – to keep a job or restrain
- head off – to prevent something from happening
- hit back – to retaliate
- hand over – to give something to someone
- hold over – to postpone or threaten
- hound out – to force someone to leave
- harp on – to talk repeatedly about something
- heat up – to make something warm or intensify
- hurry along – to make someone move faster
- hem in – to surround or restrict
- hook up with – to meet or connect with someone
- hold up – to delay or rob
- hang around – to wait or spend time idly
- hand out – to distribute something
- hide away – to go into hiding
- hand in – to submit something
- hear out – to listen until someone finishes
- hand back – to return something
- head up – to lead or be in charge
- hustle up – to gather or prepare quickly
- hang out – to spend time relaxing with others
- hold onto – to grip or keep something
- huddle up – to gather closely together
- hold on – to wait or grip tightly
- head for – to move toward a place
- hurry up – to move or act faster
- hold to – to stick to a promise or belief
- hop on – to get onto something quickly
- hold forth – to talk at length
- help out – to assist someone
- hang over – to be a threat or concern
- hang onto – to keep something
- haggle over – to argue about a price
- hash out – to discuss and resolve something
- hurry off – to leave quickly
- hammer out – to reach an agreement through discussion
- hole up – to hide or take shelter
- hail from – to come from a place
- hike up – to raise or increase something
- hit on – to flirt with someone or discover an idea
- hush up – to keep something secret
- hunker down – to settle in or prepare for difficulty
- hand down – to pass something to a younger generation
- hose down – to wash with water
- hack into – to break into a computer system
- hook onto – to attach to something
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