transitive verb

noun

A verb that is accompanied (either clearly or implicitly) by a direct object in the active voice. It links the action taken by the subject with the object upon which that action is taken. Consequently, transitive verbs can also be used in the passive voice when the direct object of the equivalent active-voice sentence becomes the subject.

Similar
transitive verb formtransitive
Opposite
intransitive verb
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Meanings

nountransitive verb (plural transitive verbs)

plural transitive verbs

  1. grammarA verb that is accompanied (either clearly or implicitly) by a direct object in the active voice. It links the action taken by the subject with the object upon which that action is taken. Consequently, transitive verbs can also be used in the passive voice when the direct object of the equivalent active-voice sentence becomes the subject.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
intransitive verb

nouna verb (or verb construction) that requires an object in order to be grammatical

Similar
transitive verb formtransitive
Broader
verb
Also see
transitive

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Coined between 1580 and 1590.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic فِعْل مُتَعَدٍّ
  • فِعْل مُتَعَدٍّ (fiʕl mutaʕaddin)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Bulgarian пре́ходен глаго́л
  • пре́ходен глаго́л (préhoden glagól)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Chinese Mandarin 及物動詞 /及物动词, 他動詞 /他动词
  • 及物動詞 /及物动词 (jíwù dòngcí)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • 他動詞 /他动词 (tādòngcí)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Danish transitivt verbum
  • transitivt verbuma verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Dutch overgankelijk werkwoord, transitief werkwoord
  • overgankelijk werkwoorda verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • transitief werkwoorda verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Esperanto transitiva verbo
  • transitiva verboa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Finnish transitiivinen verbi, transitiiviverbi
  • transitiivinen verbia verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • transitiiviverbia verb that is accompanied by a direct object
French verbe transitif
  • verbe transitifa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
German transitives Verb, transitives Verbum
  • transitives Verba verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • transitives Verbuma verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • Transitivverba verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • Transitivuma verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • Transitiva verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Greek μεταβατικό ρήμα
  • μεταβατικό ρήμα (metavatikó ríma)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Hungarian tárgyas ige
  • tárgyas igea verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Icelandic áhrifssögn
  • áhrifssögna verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Italian verbo transitivo, transitivo
  • verbo transitivoa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • transitivoa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Japanese 他動詞
  • 他動詞 (tadōshi)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Korean 타동사
  • 타동사 (tadongsa)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Latvian pārejošs darbības vārds, transitīvs verbs
  • pārejošs darbības vārdsa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • transitīvs verbsa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Lithuanian galininkinis veiksmažodis
  • galininkinis veiksmažodisa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Māori kupumahi whiti, tūmahi whiti
  • kupumahi whitia verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • tūmahi whitia verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Persian فعل متعدی
  • فعل متعدی (fe'le mota'addi)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Polish czasownik przechodni
  • czasownik przechodnia verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Portuguese verbo transitivo
  • verbo transitivoa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Romanian verb tranzitiv
  • verb tranzitiva verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Russian перехо́дный глаго́л
  • перехо́дный глаго́л (perexódnyj glagól)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Spanish verbo transitivo
  • verbo transitivoa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Swedish transitivt verb
  • transitivt verba verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Tagalog pandiwang palipat
  • pandiwang palipata verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Tamil செயப்படுபொருள்குன்றாதவினை
  • செயப்படுபொருள்குன்றாதவினை (ceyappaṭuporuḷkuṉṟātaviṉai)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Thai สกรรมกริยา
  • สกรรมกริยา (sà-gam-grì-yaa)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Turkish geçişli fiil, geçişli eylem
  • geçişli fiila verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • geçişli eylema verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Ukrainian перехідне́ дієсло́во
  • перехідне́ дієсло́во (perexidné dijeslóvo)a verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Vietnamese ngoại động từ, động từ ngoại hướng
  • ngoại động từa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • động từ ngoại hướnga verb that is accompanied by a direct object
  • tha động từa verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Welsh berf anghyflawn
  • berf anghyflawna verb that is accompanied by a direct object
Cite this entry
APA

transitive verb. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transitive%20verb

MLA

“transitive verb.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transitive%20verb. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “transitive verb,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/transitive%20verb.

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