Verbs of Existence and Action - Verbs for Lack of Action

Here you will learn some English verbs referring to lack of action such as "abstain", "hesitate", and "refrain".

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to refrain [verb]

to resist or hold back from doing or saying something

Ex: To maintain a positive atmosphere , the teacher encourages students to refrain from negative remarks in the classroom .

to abstain [verb]

to avoid doing something, especially something that one enjoys

Ex: I am abstaining from drinking coffee this week to see if it improves my sleep quality .

to desist [verb]

to stop doing something, particularly in response to a request, command, or understanding that it should be discontinued

Ex: If you do n't desist from making that noise , I 'll have to ask you to leave .

to forbear [verb]

to hold back from an action or behavior

Ex: Seeing the clumsy but endearing dance moves , the wedding guests could n't forbear laughter .

to back off [verb]

to no longer be involved in a task or obligation

Ex: The team leader chose to back off amid the tight schedule .

to hang around [verb]

to spend time in a place, often without a specific purpose or activity

Ex: On weekends , they often hang around the mall , browsing shops and chatting .

to lie around [verb]

to waste time relaxing and doing nothing

Ex: The student procrastinated on their homework , lying around in bed until the last minute .

to wait [verb]

to not leave until a person or thing is ready or present or something happens

Ex: If you arrive early , you may have to wait until the restaurant opens .

to wait around [verb]

to remain in one spot with nothing to do, expecting something to happen

Ex: The team waited around the conference room for the important announcement .

to sit around [verb]

to spend time doing nothing or nothing productive

Ex: On lazy Sundays , they like to sit around and watch TV .

to hesitate [verb]

to pause before saying or doing something because of uncertainty or nervousness

Ex: John hesitated before entering the unfamiliar building , wondering if he was in the right place .

to stand by [verb]

to refrain from taking action when it is necessary

Ex:

to hold back [verb]

to refrain from taking immediate action or speaking out, typically due to uncertainty, reluctance

Ex: He held back from offering his opinion during the contentious debate .

to look on [verb]

to watch an event or incident without getting involved

Ex: The bystanders looked on in horror as the accident unfolded before their eyes .

to stand around [verb]

to spend time standing in a place without doing anything purposeful or without having a particular reason to be there

Ex: After the concert , people stood around , hoping to get a glimpse of the band .

to forgo [verb]

to decide not to do or have something; to abstain from

Ex: Realizing the importance of time management , Alex decided to forgo watching TV and dedicate more time to studies .

to hang back [verb]

to hesitate to do or say something, often due to uncertainty or shyness

Ex: Do n't hang back from voicing your opinions in the discussion ; your input is valuable .

to loiter [verb]

to stand around in a public place without an apparent or clear purpose

Ex: Local residents often complain about people who loiter outside their homes

Verbs of Existence and Action
Verbs for Events Taking Place	Verbs for Existence	Verbs for Accommodation	Verbs for Execution
Verbs for Lack of Action	Verbs for Intervention	Verbs for Revenge	Verbs for Utilization
Verbs for Representations	Verbs for Ownership	Verbs for Dependency and Association	Verbs for Causality
Verbs for Triggering