Whisper, wander, wield – the letter W, positioned towards the end of the English alphabet, introduces a diverse range of genuinely powerful and uplifting action words. W wraps our language with a unique charm, endowing the action words it commences with a welcoming aura. So, we had to ask: What are all the positive and impactful words starting with the letter W?

Some of the most used positive & impactful words that start with the letter W include win, welcome, wish, wonder, warm, work, weave, woo, wield, and waken. There are many dozens of these worthy words, ranging from 3 to 11 characters in length.

Join us as we delve into the beauty and significance of these words, uncovering their meanings and embracing the power they hold to create a positive impact in our daily lives. You can filter the list based on your preferences and get meanings and examples for each word too. We’ll then also share the most used action words and the most interesting words starting with W as well as ten interesting facts about and a brief history of words starting with W.

Here Are the 61 Positive & Impactful Action Words That Start With the Letter W

In the diverse landscape of English grammar, words are categorized into various groups based on their functions within sentences. These groups, referred to as ‘part-of-speech,’ constitute the building blocks of language, enabling you to communicate your thoughts, ideas, and emotions effectively.

With this list, we help you weave positive and impactful action words that start with the letter W!

Verb: A verb is a word that represents an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. 

Action words are a subgroup of verbs: Action verbs describe what the subject of a sentence is doing. They describe a specific action (physical or mental), mostly about observable activities. 

An example of an action word would be “welcome.” In the sentence, “We welcome all newcomers with open arms,” “welcome” is the verb, showing the action being performed.

And while all action words are verbs, not all verbs are action words.

Trivia: The average word length of our list of positive & impactful action words that start with the letter W is a medium-long 5.2 characters, with the shortest words only having 3 characters (e.g., win, wed, and wax) and the longest word having 11 characters (worshipping).

These Are All Action Words Starting With W That Are Inherently Positive & Impactful

These Are All Action Words Starting With W That Can Be Used In a Positive & Impactful Way

Now that we’ve covered all action words starting with W that inherently exude positivity and impact, let’s complete the list and shift gears to another exciting set of words. These next words might not generally spell ‘positivity’ or ‘impact’ but when used thoughtfully, can surely add a positive & impactful spin to any conversation.

This next set of words exemplifies the beauty of language – their meaning is not just fixed but can be shaped by the context they are used in. So, try to use these words too, to have a bigger positive impact with your conversations.

10 Most Used Positive & Impactful Action Words That Start With the Letter W

The letter W appears in about 2.4% of words used in the English language. Meaning that it is moderately used in terms of letter frequency (btw, this is the full ranking, with the letters arranged from most to least frequent: etaoinshrdlcumwfgypbvkjxqz).

Yet, some words beginning with W are used more often than others. Below are some of the most used positive and impactful action words that start with the letter W:

1. Win
2. Welcome
3. Wish
4. Wonder
5. Warm
6. Work
7. Weave
8. Woo
9. Wield
10. Waken

The frequency of how many times you want to use action words that start with the letter W is entirely in your hands! We believe our list wielded a wealth of wonderful words with W, warming your words wisely. You will definitely find it worthwhile and wondrous to use these words whenever you want a whisper of wisdom or a wave of wonder in your chatter or prose!

10 Interesting Words That Start With the Letter W

Embarking on a whimsical journey through the world of W, we encounter a wealth of words that weave together the wonderful, the weird, and the wise. Here are ten fascinating words that start with W:

1. Wabi-sabi: A concept in traditional Japanese aesthetics centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. It often involves finding beauty in the mundane and imperfect.
2. Wordsmith: A skilled user of words; a writer or editor who has excellent command over language.
3. Winsome: Attractive or appealing in appearance or character. It is often used to describe a type of charm that is innocent and engaging.
4. Wanderlust: A strong desire to travel and explore the world. Derived from German, where “wandern” means to hike or travel and “Lust” means desire, it’s a term that perfectly encapsulates the yearning to experience new places and cultures.
5. Wraith: A ghost or ghostlike image of someone, especially seen shortly before or after their death. This word conjures up eerie images, adding a spectral touch to our language.
6. Whimsical: Playfully quaint or fanciful, particularly in an appealing and amusing way. This term adds a splash of playful unpredictability, joy, and creativity to our conversations.
7. Wistful: Having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing. This evocative term is perfect for describing a gentle, melancholic longing for something lost or out of reach.
8. Wunderkind: A person who achieves great success when relatively young. Directly borrowed from German, where it means “wonder child”, it’s a word that celebrates precocious talent and early achievement.
9. Witticism: A witty remark. It adds a dash of humor, quick thinking, and cleverness, highlighting the playful and intellectual aspects of conversation.
10. Wayfarer: A person who travels on foot. This term evokes images of journeying and exploration, bringing a sense of adventure and endurance to the language.

From whimsical wonders to wistful wayfarers, these words whisk us away into a world woven with a wealth of wisdom and whimsy.

10 Interesting Facts About Words That Start With the Letter W

Let’s take a step back and have a look at the bigger picture of our words with W. We encounter a rich tapestry of historical, linguistic, and cultural details. W, despite being one of the least frequently used letters, wields its own distinct charm and is involved in many interesting facets of English.

1. Linguistic rarity: W is the only letter in the English alphabet that has more than one syllable. The name of every other letter is pronounced with one syllable, but W is pronounced “double-u.”
2. Unique origin: Unlike many other letters, which can trace their shapes back to pictographic symbols, W developed from a linguistic need. It originated in the 7th century when scribes began to write the Latin letter “u” twice to represent the English sound /w/.
3. Recent addition: In the grand scheme of language evolution, W is a relatively recent addition to the Latin alphabet, being officially recognized only around a few centuries ago.
4. Role switch: Much like Y, W can serve as both a vowel and a consonant. As a consonant, it appears in words such as “water” and “well,” and as a vowel, it appears in words like “cwm” and “crwth.”
5. Phonetic diversity: In various languages, W can have different sounds. For example, in English, it has a unique /w/ sound, while in German, it’s pronounced like an English “v.”
6. Digraph use: W is frequently used in digraphs (two letters representing one sound) and trigraphs (three letters representing one sound). Examples include “ow” in “cow,” and “ew” in “new.”
7. Scientific terms: W is the chemical symbol for tungsten, derived from its German name, Wolfram. In genetics, it refers to the W chromosome in some species.
8. In numbers: In English, W is the only letter that, when spelled out, has a name that is not phonetic i.e., the word “double” has no /w/ sound.
9. Word construction: W plays a critical role in many compound and complex words. For instance, in words like “worldwide” and “whenever,” W is part of two separate morphemes, each carrying its own meaning.
10. Cultural significance: Beyond language, W often symbolizes a win in sports and games, as in “the team chalked up another W.”

The letter W, with its unique origins and wide-ranging uses, continues to play a versatile role in the English language. From its flexible function as a vowel and a consonant to its various applications in science and culture, W stands out for its distinctiveness. It is one of the few letters that have significantly evolved in form and usage, adapting to fit the needs of the language over time.

A Brief History of the Letter W

The story of the letter W has a rich and compelling history, beginning with ancient civilizations and carrying forward into the present day.

The story of W starts with the ancient Semitic languages, where it has its roots in a hieroglyph that represented a mace. In the Semitic abjad, or consonant alphabet, this symbol evolved into the letter “waw”, which represented the sound /w/ or /v/. 

The Greeks adopted the “waw”, but as their language didn’t include the /w/ sound, they used it to represent the vowel sounds /o/ or /u/ instead, naming it “upsilon.”

The Romans borrowed ‘upsilon’ to their alphabet, where it became the letters V and Y, based on its usage. The Latin ‘V’ could represent both the vowel /u/ and the consonant /v/. However, the Romans did not have a letter for the /w/ sound, as Latin did not have this sound.

The true birth of W did not occur until the Middle Ages, around the 7th century, with the evolution of the Old English language. Old English included sounds that were not present in the Latin alphabet, including /w/. The scribes first attempted to represent this sound by using two ‘u’s (uu), then moved on to use two ‘v’s (vv), because at that time ‘u’ and ‘v’ were used interchangeably. Eventually, this evolved into the unique letter W that we know today.

In terms of its name, W is the only letter in the English alphabet with a three-syllable name. It is also the only English letter whose name does not indicate its phonetic use. The complicated history of W is reflected in its name, which is essentially ‘double u.’ In many other languages, however, such as French and German, W is pronounced more like ‘double v,’ which reflects the letter’s written form.

Symbolically, W can represent the internet, given that web addresses often start with ‘www.’ The letter is also used symbolically in weather forecasting, where W represents ‘west.’ Its shape has also lent itself to a common symbol of victory, with both hands raised to form a ‘W.’

W has an intriguing history that reflects the evolution of written language. From a simple hieroglyph to a unique character in the alphabet, W has traversed through various cultures and languages to obtain its current form and symbolic meanings.

Final Thoughts

Expanding your vocabulary is akin to broadening your intellectual horizons and enhancing your capacity to express your thoughts and emotions with precision. By embracing words like ‘welcome,’ ‘witness,’ and ‘wonder,’ you’re not just learning new terms, but you are also gaining nuanced ways to communicate positivity and drive. ‘Welcome’ can transform a simple ‘greet’ into a heartfelt reception, ‘witness’ breathes life into regular observation, and ‘wonder’ takes ‘think’ to a state of awe-filled curiosity.

The more words you have at your disposal, the more accurately and vividly you can paint your thoughts into speech and writing. So, by growing your vocabulary, especially with positive and impactful words, you’re empowering yourself to engage more effectively and inspiringly with the world around you.

Stay impactful,

Sources

• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With A
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With B
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With C
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With D
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With E
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With F
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With G
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With H
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With I
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With J
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With K
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With L
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With M
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With N
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With O
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With P
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With Q
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With R
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With S
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With T
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With U
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With V
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With W
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With X
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With Y
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Words Starting With Z
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Nouns Starting With W
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Adjectives Starting With W
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Verbs Starting With W
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Adverbs Starting With W
• Impactful Ninja: Positive & Impactful Interjections Starting With W
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• David Sacks: Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
• Wikipedia: Letter Frequency
• Wikipedia: W