Verbs for Sensory Actions

to notice the sound a person or thing is making

I heard footsteps behind me and quickly turned around.

to unintentionally hear a conversation or someone's remarks

I often overhear interesting conversations while sitting in the coffee shop.

to give our attention to the sound a person or thing is making

Listen closely, and you can hear the birds singing in the trees.

to listen attentively

Right now, harking to the distant music, I feel a sense of peace.

to know about somebody or something because one has received information or news about them

Have you heard of the recent company merger?It's making headlines.

to secretly listen to a conversation without the knowledge or consent of the participants

The gossip columnist listened in on the phone conversation, hoping to scoop the latest news.

to release a particular scent

The flowers in the garden smell especially fragrant in the morning.

the smell that something releases, which can be detected by the nose

to detect a faint scent by inhaling through the nose

She whiffs the scent of flowers in her garden every morning.

to inhale air audibly through the nose, often to detect or identify a scent or odor

Dogs often sniff the ground to gather information about their surroundings.

to have a specific flavor

The soup tastes delicious with the added herbs.

to taste food or drink carefully, appreciating and analyzing its flavors, often as part of a formal or discerning evaluation

I regularly degust different types of chocolates to understand their nuances.

to fully appreciate and enjoy the flavor or aroma of a food or drink as much as possible, particularly by slowly consuming it

She savors the delicate flavors of herbal teas.

to put our hand or body part on a thing or person

Please don't touch the fragile glass display.

to experience a particular emotion

After watching the emotional movie, he felt sad for hours.

to make a part of the body feel a bit ticklish or have a slight, unusual sensation

The minty lotion tingles my skin after applying it.

to notice something that is not immediately obvious

As a skilled detective, he could pick up on subtle behavioral cues that indicated when someone was lying.