have
verb (intransitive)
UKhævUShæv
used as an auxiliary or helping verb to form perfect tenses, and sometimes to express necessity (e.g., ‘have to’)
Example Sentences
I have finished all the chores for the day.
We have seen that movie twice already.
He has just arrived, so let’s greet him.
You have to submit the report before Friday.
They had never traveled abroad until last year.
She has been practicing the piano every day this month.
He has to wake up at five in the morning to catch the first train, a routine he finds both challenging and oddly rewarding once he’s fully awake.
We have been working tirelessly on this project, believing our combined efforts will produce remarkable results that reflect our passion and dedication.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
How to Use
Indicates possession, ownership, or a relationship with something or someone.As a verb, “have” can express ownership, obligation, or experience. You might use it literally—“I have a laptop”—to show possession, or figuratively—“I have a few ideas”—to mean you hold concepts or thoughts. “Have” also appears in expressions of necessity and obligation, such as “I have to finish this report,” highlighting something you must do. In addition, “have” shows relationships: “We have three siblings,” clarifying how many exist in a family. In more advanced grammar, “have” functions in perfect tenses—“I have eaten,” “She has traveled to Paris”—linking a past action to the present. In spoken English, “have got” is a common variant, e.g. “I’ve got a cold,” signifying current possession or condition. You can also use “have” to discuss experiences: “I had a great time,” or “She’s having trouble with her phone.” Across different contexts—from casual conversation to formal writing—“have” remains a core verb illustrating not just the things you possess, but also obligations you face, conditions you experience, and actions that connect past and present. When using “have,” be mindful of whether you’re describing ownership, necessity, or a completed action so that your meaning is precise, especially when deciding between simple tense (“I have a book”) and perfect tenses (“I have finished the book”).
Alternatives
While “have” is a fundamental English verb, alternatives can sharpen your meaning based on context. For possession, “own” stresses legal or personal ownership—“I own this house”—which can sound more formal. “Hold” implies physically or metaphorically carrying something—“He holds the record for fastest sprint.” If you’re conveying requirement or necessity, “must” or “need to” may feel more direct—“You must turn in the form by Friday.” To describe experiences, “go through” captures a process—“She’s going through a tough time”—whereas “undergo” fits formal contexts, such as medical or scientific writing—“He underwent surgery last week.” Meanwhile, synonyms like “possess” or “bear” lean formal or literary, highlighting the significance of what’s held. If you want to move away from using “have” in perfect tenses, reworking the sentence can help: “He completed the report” instead of “He has completed the report.” Ultimately, choosing alternatives or rephrasing can give your communication the proper tone—casual, formal, or nuanced—showing exactly how strongly or subtly you mean to convey ownership, obligation, or a finished action.
Writing
When writing with “have,” clarity is your priority. Whether crafting a formal paper, a business document, or a personal essay, decide if “have” precisely conveys your intended relationship. If you’re highlighting ownership—“They have three research projects”—ensure it’s unmistakable who possesses what. In expository or analytical writing, you might rely on “have” to set up perfect tenses: “Experts have observed this pattern repeatedly,” illustrating that previous observations connect to the current discussion. Be careful with overusing “have” in repetitive structures, which can dull your prose—vary your sentence structures to avoid monotony. Consider your audience: a more casual setting may welcome expressions like “We’ve got plenty of evidence,” while academic contexts might favor “We have sufficient evidence.” Also, scrutinize whether a more exact verb would be stronger; for instance, “They exhibit three tendencies” can be more precise than “They have three tendencies,” depending on your goal. Ultimately, “have” is deeply ingrained in English, allowing you to express possession, obligation, or completed actions succinctly. By pairing “have” with specific details and occasionally substituting synonyms or rephrasing, you ensure your writing remains dynamic, clear, and appropriately nuanced for any context.
Casual Conversation
In everyday conversation, “have” comes in handy to describe possessions, obligations, and experiences without sounding overly formal. You might say, “I have a ton of chores,” or “We have dinner at six,” both straightforward ways to share basic info. When you want to show urgency or requirement, “have to” does the job: “I have to finish this before bed.” In friendly chats, “have got” or the contraction “I’ve got” also appears often: “I’ve got two tickets for the movie tonight.” Beyond possessions and responsibilities, it’s common to use “have” in talking about personal experiences: “I’m having a blast!” or “They had a rough day at work.” For something you crave or plan to do, you might say, “Let’s have pizza for dinner,” or “I’m going to have some downtime this weekend.” Meanwhile, “Have a good one!” is a quick, casual farewell to friends or colleagues. Though “have” can seem basic, it’s precisely this simplicity that makes it a conversation staple—short, effortless, and perfectly suited for everyday scenarios, from scheduling plans to sharing feelings.
Etymology
“Have” traces its roots to Old English “habban,” a term derived from Proto-Germanic origins, which broadly indicated possession or hold. Across centuries, its core meaning changed little, always reflecting some form of ownership or retention—of objects, ideas, or states. As English evolved, “have” also took on grammatical roles in constructing perfect tenses, bridging past events to the present in everyday speech and writing. Furthermore, “have” expanded into idiomatic expressions such as “have at it” (meaning to tackle a task), and “have to” (denoting necessity). The strong presence of “have” across dialects and time underscores its indispensable role in articulating possession, obligation, and experience—a linguistic testament to how foundational the concept of ‘holding’ or ‘being responsible for something’ is in human life. From medieval manuscripts to modern smartphone chats, “have” has endured as one of the fundamental verbs in English, shaping our ability to convey ownership, requirement, and completed actions with clarity and efficiency.