Went.
That word is almost as bad as “said” when it comes to overuse in writing.
In fact, as far as good writing goes, “went” just needs to go out the door. There are far too many other words for “went” like “wafted,” “skittered,” and “waddled” that can be used to decorate a piece of writing.
That’s why I created this post. I thought I’d provide your kids with a little verbal inspiration for their writing. (Sorry for the pun.)
Below you’ll find a list of 200+ other words for “went” divided into four categories:
- Better Than “Went” – A general list of words for “went”
- Fast and Furious – Words that convey a sense of speed
- Slowly and Unsteadily – Words that refer to movement that is slow or unsteady
- Physically Speaking – Words that indicate some form of physical movement
Feel free to share this list with your tots and teens. They can reference it whenever they need to do some creative writing.
Other Words for “Went”
Better Than “Went”
absconded
approached
budged
buggered off
buzzed off
coasted
cruised
departed
disappeared
drove
ducked out
eased
eluded
encroached
entered
exited
faded
floated
followed
forged
gallivanted
glided
got going
headed
hiked
hoofed it
itinerated
journeyed
left
legged it
migrated
moved
neared
negotiated
nosed
paced
padded
paraded
perambulated
peregrinated
proceeded
progressed
pulled out
pushed on
ranged
receded
relocated
retired
retreated
retrogressed
roamed
roved
rumbled
sailed
set out
skirted
stepped
stole away
strayed
streamed
strode
strolled
struck out
strutted
swaggered
threaded
took leave
toured
traveled
trekked
tripped
trod
vanished
veered
ventured
wafted
walked
wandered
weaved
wended
Fast and Furious
bailed
barreled
beat it
beelined
blazed
bolted
boogied
booked it
breezed
burst
bustled
cantered
cleared out
coursed
cut and run
darted
dashed
decamped
dove
escaped
evacuated
evaded
fled
flew
flitted
galloped
hastened
hied
hightailed
hurried
hustled
jetted
jogged
legged it
loped
made a break
made haste
made off
passed
peeled
raced
ran
ran along
ran away
rocketed
rushed
sallied forth
scampered
scooted
scudded
scurried
scuttled
shot
skedaddled
skittered
skyrocketed
sped
split
sprinted
streaked
swept
took flight
took off
tore
trotted
vacated
vamoosed
whisked
whizzed
zipped
zoomed
Slowly and Unsteadily
ambled
chugged
crawled
crept
doddered
drifted
gadded
galumphed
gimped
hobbled
inched
limped
lumbered
maundered
meandered
moseyed
plodded
rambled
sauntered
scuffed
shuffled
shrank
slogged
staggered
stalked
straggled
stumbled
tiptoed
toddled
tottered
trailed
trudged
waddled
withdrew
wobbled
Physically Speaking
barged
bounced
bounded
capered
careened
charged
clambered
climbed
danced
fell
flopped
gamboled
glissaded
hopped
hurled
hurtled
jumped
launched
leapt
lunged
lurched
marched
muscled
pranced
promenaded
pushed ahead
ricocheted
rode
rolled
sashayed
scaled
scrabbled
scrambled
shimmied
skated
skidded
skipped
slid
slinked
slipped
slithered
snaked
spilled
sprang
spurted
stomped
stormed out
traipsed
trampled
trooped
tumbled
vaulted
waltzed
wormed
wriggled
If you prefer these lists in a handy-dandy, printer friendly format with quaint Japanese dots as a border, you may want to check out my Other Words for “Went” Resource Pages. They’re perfect for writing folders and three-ring binders.
Many blessings,
