What is a Verbal Noun?
Definition, Verbal Noun vs. Gerund Rules, Examples & Word Lists
A verbal noun (also called a deverbal noun) is a noun derived from a verb root that sheds all verbal syntax, taking articles, adjectives, plural endings, and prepositional phrases instead of direct objects or adverbs (e.g., the building of the bridge, a sudden arrival, two decisions).
Although verbal nouns originate from action verbs, they behave strictly as nouns inside a sentence and cannot govern a bare direct object. Below, we examine the structural test that separates a verbal noun from a gerund, the suffix and zero-derivation patterns that form deverbal nouns, and a searchable verbal noun reference list.
• Table of Contents
• Understanding Verbal Nouns & the Modifier Test
To verify whether a verb-derived word is a pure verbal noun rather than a gerund, apply the Determiner + Adjective vs. Object + Adverb Test. In "Rapidly building the bridge took two years," the word building is modified by an adverb (rapidly) and takes a direct object (the bridge), making it a gerund. In "The rapid building of the bridge took two years," the word building takes a definite article (the), an attributive adjective (rapid), and an of-prepositional phrase instead of a direct object, proving it is a pure verbal noun.
English converts action verbs into pure verbal nouns through three morphological pathways:
Nominal -ing Words
When an -ing word pairs with articles, adjectives, or plural -s endings and links to its target with of, it acts as a pure verbal noun.
Derivational Suffixes
Suffixes such as -tion, -ment, -al, -ance, and -ure turn verbs into countable or uncountable deverbal nouns.
Zero-Derivation (Conversion)
Many base verbs shift into countable nouns without any spelling change at all, signaled by an article or quantifier in front of the word.
• See it in Context
Notice how the article the and the adjective constant force every word inserted into the slot below to behave as a pure verbal noun. Swap the options to compare suffix-derived, zero-derived, and -ing verbal nouns.
• Four Categories of Verbal & Deverbal Nouns
Grammarians classify verb-derived nouns by how they are formed and whether they denote an ongoing process or a completed result. Review the four structural groups below.
Pure -ing Verbal Nouns
Words ending in -ing that take articles, adjectives, or plural endings and cannot govern a bare direct object.
- The building of the suspension bridge took six years.
- Two hearings were scheduled by the committee.
Suffix-Derived Deverbal Nouns (-tion, -ment, -al)
Nouns built by attaching Latinate or Germanic nominalizing suffixes to a verb stem.
- The committee reached a unanimous decision .
- Bad weather delayed the flight's departure .
Zero-Derivation (Conversion) Nouns
Nouns that share the exact spelling of their parent verb without adding any suffix.
- She went for a three-mile run before breakfast.
- The auditor requested a second review of the ledger.
Process vs. Result Deverbal Nouns
A single verbal noun can refer either to the ongoing process of an action or to the physical product left behind.
- Process: The construction of the tunnel is underway.
- Result: That brick building dates back to 1890.
• Syntactic Roles in a Sentence
Because verbal nouns are full members of the noun class, they occupy standard subject, direct object, and prepositional object positions while pairing with articles and adjectives.
Subject
Sits before the main verb, often accompanied by a determiner and an adjective, to name the event or result driving the clause.
Direct Object
Receives the action of a transitive verb while taking standard nominal modifiers like articles and adjectives.
Object of a Preposition
Completes a prepositional phrase after words like during, after, for, or under.
• Verbal Noun vs. Gerund: Three Diagnostic Tests
When an -ing word appears in a sentence, its surrounding modifiers and complements tell you immediately whether it is functioning as a verbal noun or a gerund. Check these three structural properties:
1. Articles & Plural Endings
Verbal nouns accept articles (a, an, the) and plural -s inflections ("the readings"), whereas gerunds reject both.
2. Adjectives Instead of Adverbs
Modify a verbal noun with an adjective ("her careful editing"), whereas a gerund takes an adverb ("editing carefully").
3. Prepositional "Of" Phrase
A verbal noun cannot govern a bare direct object; it connects to its semantic target using "of" ("the signing of the treaty").
• Verbal Noun Examples: Top 50 Common Verbal Nouns
This reference list gathers 50 high-frequency verbal and deverbal nouns formed through -ing nominalization, derivational suffixes (-tion, -ment, -al), and zero-derivation. Click any word to view its dictionary definition and sentence examples.
• Browse Verbal Nouns by Letter (A to Z)
• Verbal Noun Finder & Search Tool
Filter verbal nouns by starting letter, suffix pattern (such as -tion, -ment, or -ing), contained letters, or exact word length using the search tool below.
• Test Yourself: Find the Verbal Nouns
Look for the verb-derived word modified by a determiner, possessive, or adjective in each sentence. Click the verbal noun below.