Stative (or State) Verb List

like know belong
love realise fit
hate suppose contain
want mean consist
need understand seem
prefer believe depend
agree remember matter
mind recognise see
own appear look (=seem)
sound taste smell
hear astonish deny
disagree please impress
satisfy promise surprise
doubt think (=have an opinion) feel (=have an opinion)
wish imagine concern
dislike be have
deserve involve include
lack measure (=have length etc) possess
owe weigh (=have weight)

Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic:
Be
be is usually a stative verb, but when it is used in the continuous it means 'behaving' or 'acting'

    •you are silly = it's part of your personality
    •you are being silly = only now, not usually

Think

    •think (stative) = have an opinion
    •I think that coffee is great
    •think (dynamic) = consider, have in my head
    •what are you thinking about? I'm thinking about my next holiday

Have

    •have (stative) = own
    -I have a car
    •have (dynamic) = part of an expression
    -I'm having a party / a picnic / a bath / a good time / a break

See

    •see (stative) = see with your eyes / understand
    -I see what you mean
    -I see her now, she's just coming along the road
    •see (dynamic) = meet / have a relationship with
    -I've been seeing my boyfriend for three years
    -I'm seeing Robert tomorrow

Taste

    •taste (stative) = has a certain taste
    -This soup tastes great
    -The coffee tastes really bitter
    •taste (dynamic) = the action of tasting
    -The chef is tasting the soup

    ('taste' is the same as other similar verbs such as 'smell')

Last modified: Wednesday, 26 August 2026, 9:44 AM