Resources

Glossary of Active Verbs for use in writing or amending Job Descriptions

Good job information is essential for a fair and equitable pay equity process. To properly evaluate jobs, job questionnaires and job statements or descriptions must include all of the relevant information about the job in order to provide evaluators/readers with a clear understanding of what is done, why it is done and how it is done. The following glossary will help you describe women's and men's work activities accurately, using simple, straightforward, precise and bias-free language.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Accepts: Gives admittance or approval to.
Accommodates: Provides with something desired or needed; provides room for.
Accompanies: Goes or travels along with.
Accomplishes: Brings to execution; carries out.
Achieves: Gains with effort; attains or reaches.
Activates: Sets up or formally introduce with necessary personnel or equipment.
Acts: Brings about an effect; carries out a purpose.
Acquires: Comes into possession or control of an item or items.
Adapts: Modifies or changes to fit specific or new situations.
Addresses: Applies oneself to something; puts an address on; gives a speech to.
Adds: Affixes or attaches; performs mathematical addition of figures.
Adjusts: Alters to achieve accuracy; decides how much is to be paid on an insurance claim.
Administers: Manages or directs the application or execution of activities or events; administrates.
Adopts: Takes and applies or puts into practice.
Advises: Provides advice; recommends a course of action (not simply tells or informs).
Advocates: Speaks, pleads or argues in favour of (on behalf of client groups).
Affirms: Confirms or ratifies.
Aligns: Arranges or forms in a line.
Allocates: Assigns or apportions for a specific purpose or to a particular person.
Amends: Changes or modifies.
Analyzes: Studies the factors of a situation or problem in order to determine the solution or outcome.
Anticipates: Foresees events, trends, consequences or problems.
Applies: Adjusts or directs; puts in use.
Appoints: Sets officially, arranges.
Appraises: Evaluates as to quality, status, or effectiveness of.
Approves: Sanctions officially; accepts as satisfactory; ratifies (thereby assuming responsibility for).
Arranges: Places in proper order.
Ascertains: Finds out or learns for a certainty.
Assembles: Collects or gathers in a pre-determined order; fits together the parts of.
Assesses: Places a value on; judges the worth of something, or charges with a payment.
Assigns: Fixes, specifies or delegates; legally, transfers or makes over to another.
Assists: Lends aid; helps; gives support to.
Assumes: Takes to or upon oneself; undertakes.
Assures: Makes certain of; informs positively with certainty.
Attaches: Binds, fastens, ties or connects.
Atains: Gains with effort; reaches a certain state or level.
Attends: Is present at; gives heed to; works for or is a servant to.
Audits: Examines records or financial accounts to check their accuracy.
Augments: Enlarges or increases; grows or intensifies.
Authorizes: Empowers; permits; establishes by authority.
Authors: Writes books or articles for pay (responsible for content); writes or constructs (an electronic document or system) as to author a company's website.

Balances: Arranges or proves so that the sum of one group equals the sum of another.
Batches: Groups into a quantity for one operation; assembles or processes as a batch.
Binds: Makes fast or secures; creates social or emotional ties.
Budgets: Makes a summary of intended expenditures.
Buys: Acquires possession, ownership or rights to the use of services, items.

Calculates: Ascertains by computation.
Cancels: Strikes or crosses out; postpones indefinitely.
Carries: Moves while supporting in one's arms (e.g. a child or a box) or on one's body; has on one's person.
Characterizes: Portrays or describes qualities or peculiarities.
Charts: Draws or exhibits in a chart or a graph; adds medical information to a patient's record.
Checks: Examines; compares for verification.
Circulates: Disseminates; distributes in accordance with a plan.
Clarifies: Makes clear and more comprehensible; removes impurities.
Classifies: Separates into groups having systematic relations.
Cleans: Removes unwanted substances, such as dirt; removes all contents from; removes husks or coverings.
Clears: Obtains the concurrence, dissent or agreement of others prior to signature; removes, erases, evacuates, arranges.
Climbs: Goes upward with gradual or continuous progress; advances; ascends stairs, ladders.
Closes: Ends or terminates.
Codes: Transposes words or figures into symbols or characters (letters or numbers).
Collaborates: Works or acts jointly with others.
Collates: Brings together in a pre-determined order.
Collects: Gathers facts or data; assembles to accumulate.
Combines: Puts or adds together; mixes to form a whole; joins for a common purpose.
Communicates: Transmits information, thoughts or feeling; is in verbal contact.
Complies: Collects into a volume; puts together from existing materials.
Completes: Brings to a finish; carries out; writes all required information on a form.
Composes: Makes up; fashions; arranges.
Computes: Makes a mathematical calculation.
Conceives: Formulates and expresses.
Conciliates: Causes to be more favourably inclined; makes compatible with; comes to terms.
Conducts: Directs the course of; leads; guides.
Confers: Has a conference in order to talk something over.
Considers: Observes or thinks about with regard to taking some action.
Consolidates: Combines separate items into a single whole.
Constructs: Sets in order mentally; arranges, builds, manufactures; creates a concept.
Consults: Seeks advice of others; refers to; deliberates, confers.
Contributes: Provides (information, or ideas); gives to some cause.
Controls: Exercises directly; has guiding or retraining power.
Converts: Changes the nature, purpose or function of something; changes from one system or plan to another.
Cooks: Prepares a hot meal; makes suitable for consumption by heating.
Cooperates: Acts or operates jointly with others.
Coordinates: Brings into common action; condition, etc.
Copies: Makes copies of; transfers or reproduces information.
Corrects: Rectifies; makes right.
Correlates: Establishes a mutual or reciprocal relation.
Corresponds: Coincides in their characteristics; exchanges messages.
Counsels: Advises or consults; recommends.
Counts: Recites or lists numbers in order or enumerate items by units or groups.
Creates: Brings into existence; gives rise to; originates.
Cross-foot: Adds across and horizontally.
Cross out: Eliminates by lining out.
Customizes: Makes to specifications and according to requirements.

Date Stamps: Notes the date by stamping.
Decides: Chooses from among alternatives or possibilities so as to end debate or uncertainty.
Deciphers: Converts code, complex data into ordinary language; reads possibly illegible notes with difficulty.
Defines: Gives the definition of a word; determines the essential quality or nature of; delineates the form or outline of.
Delegates: Entrusts to the care or management of another.
Deletes: Erases; removes.
Delivers: Sends or brings a desired object.
Demonstrates: Provides evidence for; shows something to an audience.
Describes: Gives an account of or representation in speech or writing ( e.g. treatment to patients); conveys an idea or impression of; characterizes, traces or outlines.
Designs: Conceives and plans in the mind for a specific use; creates, fashions, executes, or constructs according to a plan.
Determines: Fixes or settles conclusively or authoritatively; decides.
Develops: Evolves; makes apparent; brings to light; makes more available or useable.
Devises: Comes up with something new, especially by combining known ideas or principles.
Devotes: Gives entirely to a specific person, activity or cause.
Directs: Regulates the activities or course of; governs or controls; gives guidance to.
Disassembles: Takes apart.
Discloses: Makes known to the public information that was previously known only to a few; discloses to view by removing a cover.
Discusses: Exchanges views for the purpose of arriving at a conclusion.
Disseminates: Spreads information or ideas.
Distinguishes: Marks as different; detects with the senses; makes conspicuous or noteworthy.
Distributes: Divides or separates into classes to pass around; allots.
Divides: Separates into classes or parts; subjects to mathematical division.
Documents: Records in detail; supports with evidence.
Drafts: Writes or composes papers or documents in rough, preliminary or final form; often for clearance and approval by others.
Drives: Operates a vehicle; forces into an action or state.

Edits: Revises and prepares as for publication.
Educates: Provides knowledge or training or for a particular goal.
Eliminates: Does away with; dismisses from consideration.
Endorses: Expresses approval of; countersigns.
Enforces: Ensures observance of laws and rules; compels and imposes.
Ensures: Is careful to do something; makes certain of something.
Establishes: Sets up; institutes; places on a firm basis.
Estimates: Forecasts future quantities, values, sizes, extents, etc., either on the basis of judgement or calculations.
Evaluates: Appraises; ascertains the value of.
Examines: Investigates; scrutinizes; subjects to inquiry by inspection or test.
Executes: Gives effect; follows through to the end; completes.
Exercises: Brings to bear or employs actively, as exercises authority or influence.
Exhibits: Shows or demonstrates something; makes visible or apparent.
Expands: Makes larger in size or quantity; adds details.
Expedites: Hastens the movement or progress of; removes obstacles; accelerates.
Explores: Penetrates into unknown territory; examines minutely.
Extends: Stretches out over a distance, time or scope; expands the influence of.
Extracts: Draws out, usually with some effort; deduces a principle.
Evaluates: Estimates; ranks; qualifies; measures, determines the value of.

Facilitates: Makes easy or less difficult.
Feeds: Supplies material to a machine, or food to a person or an animal.
Figures: Computes; judges to be probable.
Files: Lays away papers, etc.; arranges in a methodical manner.
Fills-in: Enters information on a form; is a substitute for.
Finds: Locates by searching.
Fires: Terminates the employment of; starts firing a weapon; bakes in a kiln.
Flags: Marks in some distinctive manner.
Follows: Acts in accordance with someone else's rules; travels behind.
Follows-up: Checks the progress of; sees if results are satisfactory.
Forecasts: Conjectural estimates of something in the future; estimates; predicts.
Formulates: Puts into systemized statement; develops or devises a plan, policy or procedure.
Furnishes: Provides; supplies or gives.

Gathers: Brings together or collects parts of a group.
Generates: Brings into existence; produces.
Governs: Imposes regulations; directs the behaviour of.
Guides: Conducts or directs along a course of action.

Handles: Is in charge of or acts on; touches, lifts or holds with the hands.
Helps: Gives assistance or aid to; contributes; supports.
Hires: Engages for work under a term or contract; holds under a rental agreement.

Identifies: Recognizes as being; establishes the identity of someone or something.
Illustrates: Clarifies by giving an example of; depicts with drawings.
Implements: Carries out; performs acts essential to the execution of a plan or programme; gives effect to.
Improvies: Performs without preparation; manages in a makeshift way.
Influences: Induces into action; gives direction to; exerts an influence.
Informs: Instructs; acquaints; communicates knowledge.
Initiates: Originates; introduces for the first time.
Inputs: Enters data or a program into a computer.
Inquires: Asks or searches into.
Inserts: Puts; thrusts in, as a needle into a vein; introduces as a word in a sentence.
Inspects: Examines carefully for suitability or conformance with standards.
Installs: Sets up for use; institutes, poses, adjusts.
Instructs: Imparts knowledge to; supplies direction to.
Interacts: Acts together or toward others or with others.
Interprets: Explains the meaning of; translates.
Interviews: Questions in order to obtain facts or opinions.
Inventories: Counts and makes a list of items.
Investigates: Inquires into systematically, conducts an inquiry.
Issues: Distributes formally; prepares for public distribution.
Itemizes: States in terms or by particulars; sets down or notes in detail.

Judges: Determines the result of, as in a competition; forms an opinion about; hears a case and sits as the judge.

Keeps: Preserves or maintains in a good and orderly condition.

Leads: Is in charge of; presides over; takes somebody somewhere.
Liaises: Acts between parties (e.g. clients and agencies) with a view to reconciling differences.
Lifts: Raises (e.g. patients or boxes) from a lower to a higher position; annuls by rescinding; removes from a surface; invigorates.
Listens: Pays close attention to (e.g. for responses or to make notes); hears with intention; pays heed to.
Lists: Itemizes; names individually.
Locates: Searches for and finds.

Maintains: Holds or keeps in any condition, as equipment; keeps up to date or current, (as records).
Makes: Causes something to assume a designated condition.
Manages: Controls and directs; guides; administers.
Manipulates: Influences or controls shrewdly (e.g. data); controls (others or oneself) or influences skilfully; treats manually, as in massage.
Markets: Engages in commercial promotion, sale or distribution.
Measures: Determines lengths or quantities of.
Mediates: Acts between parties with a view to reconciling differences and disputes between people.
Merges: Combines; mixes together different elements.
Mixes: Unites or blends into one group or mass.
Modifies: Makes changes to.
Monitors: Observes or checks periodically for a specific purpose.
Motivates: Provides incentive or drive.
Moves: Changes location; proceeds from one point to another; proposes formally as in a meeting or procedure.
Multiples: Performs the operation of multiplication.

Negotiates: Exchanges views and proposals with an eye to reaching agreement by sifting through possibilities, proposals, pros and cons.
Notes: Observes, notices, heeds; makes a written note of; makes mention of.
Notifies: Gives notice to; informs.

Observes: Perceives or notices; watches.
Obtains: Gains possession of; acquires.
Opens: Enters upon; spreads out; makes accessible.
Operates: Conducts or performs activity; handles and causes to function, as equipment; performs surgery; controls the working of; operates, as a business; directs.
Orders: Gives instructions to or directs somebody to do something; brings into conformity; imposes regulations.
Originates: Brings into being; takes on form or shape.
Organizes: Arranges in interdependent parts; systemizes.
Outlines: Exposes briefly, presents, sketches, limits, drafts, plans, summarizes; makes a summary of the significant features of a subject.
Oversees: Supervises a function or operation as distinct from supervising people.

Participates: Takes part in.
Pays: Discharges or settles a debt (e.g. issues cheques); gives money in exchange for goods and services.
Performs: Carries on to a finish; accomplishes; executes; gives a performance (of something).
Persuades: Wins approval or support for; causes someone to adopt a certain belief.
Plans: Devises or projects a method or a course of action.
Posts: Transfers or carries information from one record to another; to announce by public, written notice.
Prepares: Makes ready for a particular purpose or event; creates by training or teaching; makes edible for eating.
Presents: Brings forward to an interested audience (e.g. funding proposals); introduces; delivers (e.g. a speech).
Prioritizes: Arranges or deals with in order of importance.
Processes: Subjects to some special treatment; handles in accordance with prescribed procedures.
Programs: Makes a plan or procedure; develops coded instructions to control operations of computer or other machine.
Projects: Plans, figures, or estimates for the future.
Promotes: Acts so as to increase sales or patronage; advances someone to a higher level or job.
Proposes: Offers for consideration or adoption; nominates for appointment or office.
Protects: Shields from danger, injury or damage (e.g. persons, information or interests).
Provides: Supplies for use; furnishes.
Pulls: Applies force to move something or someone forward; a sustained effort; a sharp strain on muscles.
Purchases: Buys or procures.
Pursues: Carries out or is involved in an activity (e.g. on behalf of a client); goes in search of; advances further.
Pushes: Moves an object or person (e.g. a cart or a wheelchair); compels someone to action; continues in a concerted effort for a cause or project.

Q

Rates

Appraises or assesses; settles the rank; qualifies.

Reads

Learns or is informed by reading.

Receives

Takes (as something that is offered).

Recommends

Suggests or proposes courses of action or procedures to persons who have responsibility for authorizing the carrying out of actions or procedures.

Reconciles

Brings into accord; makes compatible with.

Reconstructs

Constructs again; restores.

Records

Registers; makes a record of.

Recruits

Increases numbers of a group or brings in new members.

Refers

Directs attention; sends for treatment or information; has as a meaning; pertains to.

Refines

Improves or perfects; prepares so as to put in a usable condition.

Registers

Enters in a record or list.

Regulates

Fixes or adjusts the time, amount, degree, or rate.

Releases

Permits the publication of or disseminates.

Remits

Transmits or sends as money in payment.

Renders

Furnishes; contributes.

Reorganizes

Organizes anew, as after a setback.

Reports

Supplies or furnishes organized information.

Represents

Takes the place of; expresses indirectly by an image; is spokesperson for; represents someone's interest.

Requests

Asks for something.

Requires

Considers obligatory; makes someone do something; has need of.

Requistions

Makes a formal request for.

Researchers

Inquires into a specific subject from several sources.

Resolves

Deals with a problem; settles successfully (e.g. a conflict); reaches a decision.

Responds

Shows a reaction or response to something; replies.

Responsibility (is responsible for)

Complete Responsibility - Individual has complete authority to take whatever action is deemed advisable or necessary, subject only to the policies or general rules laid down.
Delegated Responsibility - Individual has authority to take whatever action is deemed advisable or necessary; may initiate and carry out the action but should advise superior of action taken; must inform superiors of non-routine situations.
General Responsibility - Individual is required to gain approval of supervisor before proceeding with the action which is deemed necessary or advisable.

Restricts

Places under restriction as to use or distribution; limits access to.

Retrieves

Recovers the use of (e.g. information from systems/files); recalls knowledge from memory; to straighten, to extract.

Reviews

Goes over or examines deliberately or critically; analyses results for the purpose of giving an opinion.

Revises

Makes a new, improved or up-to-date version of.

Scans: Examines point by point, scrutinizes; scans data using a scanner.
Schedules: Plans a timetable; sets specific times for.
Screens: Examines closely; generally so as to separate one group or class from another.
Searches: Looks over and through for the purpose of finding something.
Secures: Gets possession of; obtains; causes to be firmly attached; makes certain of.
Sees: Perceives by sight; observes; makes certain of something.
Selects: Chooses from a number of others of similar kind.
Sells: Gives up property in exchange for money.
Separates: Sets apart, keeps apart.
Signs: Affixes signature to; communicates non-verbally (as in sign language).
Solicits: Makes a petition or a request for services, money.
Solves: Finds the solution to a problem or question.
Sorts: Puts in a definite place, location or order, according to kind, class, etc.
Specifies: States precisely or in detail, or names explicitly.
SpendsS: Pays out money or budget funds; passes in a specific way (e.g. time).
Stacks: Piles up.
Stands: Is in an upright position (e.g. cashier); remains in effect; withstands the force of something.
Stores: Keeps aside for future use (objects or data); finds a place and puts away.
Streamlines: Improves the appearance or efficiency of; modernizes, organizes or simplifies; contours effectively.
Studies: Considers attentively; ponders or fixes the mind closely upon a subject.
Submits: Presents for decision, information or judgement of others.
Sub-totals: Takes an interim total.
Substracts: Deducts one number from another.
Summarizes: Makes an abstract; briefs; gives only the main points.
Supervises: Oversees; inspects with authority; guides and instructs with immediate responsibility for performance; leads.
Supplies: Makes materials available for use.
Supports: Provides service, assistance, or supplies to another person or department.
Surveys: Determines the form, extent, position, etc. of a situation; usually in connections with gathering of information; inspects.

Tabulates: Forms into a table by listing; makes a listing.
Teaches: Imparts skills or knowledge to; accustoms gradually to some attitude or action.
Traces: Records the disposition of an application or document; copies as a drawing.
Trains: Increases skill or knowledge by capable instruction, (usually in relation to a pre-determined standard).
Transcribes: Makes a typewritten copy from shorthand notes or dictated record; writes a copy of.
Transfers: Passes over from one person to another; moves from one place to another; causes to change ownership.
Transposes: Transfers; changes the usual place of order.
Troubleshoots: Solves problems.
Turns: Changes direction or the position of; causes to move around or rotate, (animate or inanimate); changes (e.g. attitude) to the contrary.
Twists

Underlines: Emphasizes or identifies by drawing a line under the characters or subject; gives extra weight to.
Uses: Puts into service; employs for a particular purpose (e.g. information); takes or consumes regularly.

Verifies: Proves to be true or accurate; confirms or substantiates; tests or checks the accuracy of.

Walks: Uses one's feet to advance; acts in association with.
Weighs: Takes into consideration as to importance; determines the weight of.
Writes: Composes and sets down; express or communicates in writing; produces material.

X

Y

Zips: Moves very fast; compresses an electronic file.