Are you looking to boost your English vocabulary? One great way is by learning verbs that start with F. Verbs are action words, and knowing more of them helps you speak and write more confidently. In this article, we’ve put together a list of common, useful, and even some phrasal verbs starting with F. Whether you’re a beginner or just want to expand your word bank, this list will make it easier to express yourself in everyday English.
Verbs That Start with F
Verbs that start with F are more than just familiar words like “find” or “feel.” There are plenty of interesting and useful F-verbs to explore. From everyday actions to more unique words, these F-verbs can help you speak and write more clearly and confidently in English.

Action Verbs that Start with F with Examples
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fast-track | to speed up a process | They fast-tracked the project to meet the deadline. |
| fathom | to understand fully | She couldn’t fathom why he left. |
| favor | to prefer or support | The manager favored the proposal over the others. |
| fighten | to energize or inspire action | The speech fighted the team to take action. |
| fixate | to focus intensely on something | He fixated on solving the puzzle. |
| flaunt | to show off | She flaunted her artwork at the gallery. |
| flashmob | to gather suddenly for performance | They flashmobbed in the square to entertain tourists. |
| flee | to run away | The prisoners fled during the chaos. |
| flinch | to make a quick, nervous movement | He flinched at the loud noise. |
| flip-flop | to change quickly | The politician flip-flopped on the policy. |
| flow | to move smoothly | Water flowed down the river. |
| flycast | to throw a fishing line | He flycast the line into the river. |
| forge | to form or shape | They forged a strong partnership. |
| forest | to cover with trees | They forested the barren land. |
| fortify | to strengthen | Soldiers fortified the base. |
| foster | to encourage growth | The mentor fostered innovation in students. |
| frame | to design or outline | He framed the argument clearly. |
| freewheel | to move without restraint | He freewheeled through the city on his bike. |
| frisk | to search someone quickly | The security guard frisked the visitors. |
| fume | to show anger | She fumed when she saw the mess. |
| funnel | to channel or direct | They funneled the donations to the charity. |
| fuse | to combine or unite | They fused ideas from both teams. |
| fuss | to behave nervously or excitedly | The baby fussed until fed. |
| fertilize | to make soil suitable for plants | They fertilized the garden. |
| flatten | to make flat | He flattened the cardboard boxes. |
| flap | to move quickly up and down | The bird flapped its wings energetically. |
| flick | to move lightly | She flicked the switch on. |
| flit | to move lightly or quickly | Butterflies flitted around the flowers. |
| flip | to turn over | He flipped the coin. |
| flourish | to thrive | The business flourished under new management. |
| flounder | to struggle | The swimmer floundered in the deep water. |
| flowchart | to map steps | They flowcharted the process for clarity. |
| fly | to move through air | Birds fly gracefully in the sky. |
| fob | to trick or deceive | He fobbed off the salesperson with excuses. |
| forage | to search for food | The bear foraged in the forest. |
| forewarn | to warn in advance | They forewarned the villagers about the storm. |
| foil | to prevent from succeeding | The guard foiled the robbery. |
| foment | to stir up | The leader fomented rebellion. |
| forestall | to prevent | They forestalled the crisis by acting early. |
| fortify | to strengthen | He fortified his argument with evidence. |
| foster | to promote | The club fostered teamwork among members. |
| fracture | to break | He fractured his wrist in the fall. |
| free | to release | They freed the trapped animals. |
| freeze-dry | to preserve by freezing | Scientists freeze-dried the samples. |
| frisk | to search | The police frisked the suspect. |
| frolic | to play happily | The children frolicked in the park. |
| frustrate | to prevent success | The delays frustrated the team. |
| fulfill | to complete | She fulfilled her promise. |
| function | to work | The machine functioned perfectly. |
| funnel | to direct | They funneled funds to the project. |
| fuss | to worry unnecessarily | He fussed over the small details. |
| futz | to waste time | She futzed around before starting work. |
| fuzz | to blur | The camera fuzzed the image. |
| fly-by | to pass quickly | The jet fly-byed the stadium. |
| footnote | to add detail | He footnoted the research carefully. |
| freebase | to process chemically | Chemists freebased the substance. |
| flicker | to shine unsteadily | The candle flickered in the wind. |
| flapjack | to make pancakes | She flapjacked for breakfast. |
| feint | to make a deceptive movement | The boxer feinted before striking. |
| flub | to make a mistake | He flubbed the performance. |
| finagle | to achieve by trickery | She finagled an extra ticket. |

Positive Verbs that Start with F with Examples
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| facilitate | to make a process easier | She facilitated the meeting smoothly. |
| favor | to support or prefer | The teacher favored the creative project. |
| feast | to enjoy a large meal | They feasted together on Thanksgiving. |
| felicitate | to congratulate | We felicitated the winners of the contest. |
| foster | to encourage growth | The mentor fostered innovation in students. |
| flourish | to thrive or grow well | The garden flourished in spring. |
| free | to release or liberate | They freed the trapped animals. |
| fulfill | to complete a goal or promise | She fulfilled her dream of traveling. |
| fund | to provide financial support | The organization funded the school project. |
| focus | to concentrate on something | He focused on improving his skills. |
| fraternize | to socialize warmly | They fraternized with new colleagues. |
| feel | to sense or experience | She felt joy at the good news. |
| fine-tune | to improve carefully | They fine-tuned the engine for better performance. |
| favor | to show kindness | He favored his neighbors with small gifts. |
| fascinate | to capture attention | The story fascinated the children. |
| fortify | to strengthen | The vitamins fortified her health. |
| felicitate | to honor or praise | The principal felicitated the students for their success. |
| familiarize | to make familiar | The guide familiarized us with the city. |
| fine | to improve or perfect | She fined her skills with daily practice. |
| forgive | to stop feeling anger | He forgave his friend for the mistake. |
| favor | to give support or approval | The manager favored the new idea. |
| frame | to design or plan | They framed a new strategy for growth. |
| flourish | to prosper | The business flourished under her leadership. |
| furnish | to provide | The charity furnished the school with books. |
| feed | to provide nourishment | They fed the hungry children. |
| flatter | to praise sincerely | He flattered his team for their hard work. |
| foster | to cultivate or nurture | The program fostered young talent. |
| focus | to aim attention | She focused on her personal goals. |
| felicitate | to celebrate achievements | They felicitated the volunteers for their service. |
| free | to liberate | The activists freed the captive animals. |
| frame | to organize or structure | He framed his ideas clearly in the presentation. |
| fund | to support financially | The government funded the new library. |
| fortify | to boost strength | Healthy habits fortified her immune system. |
| favor | to help or assist | He favored his neighbor during the move. |
| fascinate | to delight | The magician fascinated everyone at the show. |
| flourish | to succeed | The artist flourished in her career. |
| foster | to develop positively | The teacher fostered creativity in her students. |
| fulfill | to accomplish | He fulfilled all his responsibilities. |
| fraternize | to build friendly relations | They fraternized at the office party. |
| familiarize | to make comfortable | The trainer familiarized the team with the new system. |
| feel | to experience emotions | She felt happiness all day. |
| fine-tune | to enhance | He fine-tuned his speech before the event. |
| fund | to provide resources | The foundation funded local startups. |
| forgive | to pardon | She forgave him for the mistake. |
| free | to allow freedom | The program freed people from unnecessary restrictions. |
| favor | to encourage | Parents favored reading at home. |
| flourish | to bloom | Flowers flourished in the sunny garden. |
| foster | to support growth | The coach fostered teamwork among players. |
| felicitate | to honor | The ceremony felicitated top performers. |
| feed | to nurture | They fed the stray cats daily. |
| frame | to set up positively | She framed the discussion in a constructive way. |
| facilitate | to make easier | He facilitated the conversation between the two sides. |

Regular Verbs That Start With F
Regular verbs follow the standard pattern: add -ed for past tense and past participle.
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| face | to confront | She faced her fears bravely. |
| fasten | to attach | He fastened his belt before driving. |
| favor | to support | The teacher favored the hardworking student. |
| finish | to complete | I finished my homework last night. |
| fold | to bend over | She folded the clothes neatly. |
| follow | to come after | The puppy followed its owner home. |
| fuel | to give energy | Compliments fueled her confidence. |
| flush | to clean | He flushed the sink after washing. |
Irregular Verbs That Start With F
Irregular verbs do not follow the standard -ed pattern.
| Verb | Base Form | Past Tense | Past Participle | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fall | fall | fell | fallen | The leaves fell from the trees. |
| feed | feed | fed | fed | She fed the stray cats. |
| feel | feel | felt | felt | I felt happy yesterday. |
| fight | fight | fought | fought | They fought over the game. |
| find | find | found | found | He found his lost wallet. |
| flee | flee | fled | fled | The villagers fled during the storm. |
| fling | fling | flung | flung | He flung the ball across the field. |
| fly | fly | flew | flown | Birds flew across the sky. |
Phrasal Verbs That Start With F
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb + preposition or adverb, creating a new meaning.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| face up to | to confront | You need to face up to your mistakes. |
| fall apart | to break down emotionally or physically | The old book fell apart in her hands. |
| fall behind | to lag | He fell behind in his studies. |
| fall for | to be tricked or fall in love | She fell for his charm instantly. |
| fall out | to have an argument | They fell out over money. |
| fall through | to fail or not happen | The deal fell through at the last minute. |
| fill in | to complete or provide information | Please fill in this form. |
| fill out | to complete a document | He filled out the application. |
| find out | to discover | She found out the truth yesterday. |
| figure out | to solve or understand | I figured out the problem finally. |
| follow through | to complete an action | He followed through on his promise. |
| follow up | to take further action | She followed up on the email. |
| freak out | to panic or get very upset | He freaked out when he saw the spider. |
| freeze up | to stop functioning or panic | She froze up during the speech. |
| frown upon | to disapprove | The teacher frowned upon cheating. |
| fall back on | to rely on as a last option | We had to fall back on our savings. |
| feed off | to gain energy from | The team fed off each other’s enthusiasm. |
| figure on | to plan or expect | We figured on arriving by noon. |
| frisk out | to search thoroughly | The guard frisked out everyone entering the building. |
| face down | to confront boldly | She faced down her opponents without fear. |
Common 60 Verbs That Start with F
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| fabricate | to make or create something | He fabricated a story to avoid trouble. |
| face | to confront something | She faced her fears bravely. |
| fade | to gradually disappear | The colors faded in the sunlight. |
| fail | to not succeed | He failed the test but tried again. |
| faint | to briefly lose consciousness | She fainted from the heat. |
| fall | to drop or come down | Leaves fall every autumn. |
| falter | to hesitate or waver | His voice faltered during the speech. |
| fantasize | to imagine or daydream | Kids fantasize about superheroes. |
| fascinate | to capture attention | The magician fascinated the audience. |
| fasten | to attach or secure | Please fasten your seatbelt. |
| fatten | to make plumper | They fattened the chickens for the festival. |
| favor | to treat better than others | The teacher favored the hardworking students. |
| fear | to feel afraid | Many people fear spiders. |
| feature | to highlight or give attention | The article features new technology. |
| feed | to give food | She feeds the stray cats every morning. |
| feel | to touch or sense | Feel the fabric; it’s soft. |
| feign | to pretend | He feigned surprise at the gift. |
| ferry | to transport across water | They ferried tourists across the river. |
| fetch | to get and bring back | The dog fetched the ball. |
| fib | to tell a small lie | He fibbed about being late. |
| fiddle | to play with restlessly | She fiddled with her pen during class. |
| fidget | to make small nervous movements | The child fidgeted in the chair. |
| fight | to argue or struggle | They fought over the game. |
| file | to organize papers | She filed the documents neatly. |
| filter | to remove impurities | They filtered the water before drinking. |
| finalize | to complete | We finalized the plan yesterday. |
| find | to discover | He found a wallet on the street. |
| finish | to complete | She finished her homework quickly. |
| fix | to repair | He fixed the broken chair. |
| fizzle | to fail weakly | The fireworks fizzled in the rain. |
| flail | to move wildly | The swimmer flailed in the water. |
| flake | to peel off | The paint flaked from the old wall. |
| flap | to wave up and down | The bird flapped its wings. |
| flash | to shine suddenly | Lightning flashed across the sky. |
| flatter | to praise excessively | He flattered his boss to get a raise. |
| flaunt | to show off | She flaunted her new dress at the party. |
| flavor | to add taste | He flavored the soup with herbs. |
| flee | to run away | The villagers fled from the fire. |
| flip | to turn over | She flipped the pancake carefully. |
| flourish | to grow or succeed | The business flourished in the new location. |
| fluff | to shake up | She fluffed the pillows before guests arrived. |
| flush | to clean | He flushed the sink after washing. |
| flutter | to move lightly | Butterflies fluttered in the garden. |
| fly | to move through the air | Birds fly high in the sky. |
| foam | to produce froth | The milk foamed as it boiled. |
| focus | to pay attention | Please focus on your homework. |
| fold | to bend over | She folded the clothes neatly. |
| follow | to come after | The puppy followed its owner home. |
| foresee | to predict | She foresee the challenges ahead. |
| forestall | to prevent | He forestalled the problem by acting early. |
| forget | to fail to remember | Don’t forget your keys. |
| forgive | to stop feeling angry | She forgave him for the mistake. |
| form | to create or shape | They formed a circle. |
| fortify | to strengthen | They fortified the walls of the castle. |
| foster | to encourage growth | The teacher fostered creativity in students. |
| frame | to construct or design | He framed the picture perfectly. |
| frighten | to scare | The loud noise frightened the cat. |
| frustrate | to prevent success | Traffic jams frustrate commuters. |
| fulfill | to complete or achieve | She fulfilled her dream of traveling. |
| function | to work or operate | This machine functions well. |
| furnish | to supply or equip | They furnished the room with new furniture. |
| further | to help advance | He furthered his career through networking. |
FAQs About Verbs That Start With F
Start with common and positive verbs, use them in sentences, and gradually learn phrasal and irregular verbs.
Most common F-verbs like find, feel, follow, flourish are widely used, but some rare verbs are better for writing or formal contexts.
Check the past tense: regular verbs add -ed, irregular verbs change differently (e.g., fly → flew).
Conclusion
Verbs that start with F are diverse and fun! From everyday regular verbs like finish and fold, to irregular verbs like fall and fly, and phrasal verbs like fall apart or figure out, mastering them will make your English more expressive. Practice using these verbs in sentences, and soon you’ll feel confident using them in speaking and writing.
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