labile verb

noun

A transitive verb, such as break, burn, boil, open, start, change, or assimilate, which may be used intransitively with the object of the action as the subject.

“The verb 'break' is labile because it can be used both transitively: I broke the window, and intransitively: the window broke, and in either case the object undergoing the action of breakage is the window.”

Similar
ergative verb
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounlabile verb (plural labile verbs)

plural labile verbs

  1. grammarA transitive verb, such as break, burn, boil, open, start, change, or assimilate, which may be used intransitively with the object of the action as the subject.

    The verb 'break' is labile because it can be used both transitively: I broke the window, and intransitively: the window broke, and in either case the object undergoing the action of breakage is the window.

    Synonyms: ergative verb

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA transitive verb, such as break, burn, boil, open, start, change, or assimilate, which may be used intransitively with the object of the action as the subject.

Similar
ergative verb
Also see
ergative verb
Cite this entry
APA

labile verb. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/labile%20verb

MLA

“labile verb.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/labile%20verb. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “labile verb,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/labile%20verb.

Source: labile verb on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.