transitive

adjective

tran·​si·​tive ˈtran(t)-sə-tiv 

ˈtran-zə-;

ˈtran(t)s-tiv

1

: characterized by having or containing a direct object

a transitive verb

2

: being or relating to a relation with the property that if the relation holds between a first element and a second and between the second element and a third, it holds between the first and third elements

equality is a transitive relation

3

: of, relating to, or characterized by transition

transitively adverb

transitiveness noun

transitivity

ˌtran(t)-sə-ˈti-və-tē 

ˌtran-zə-

noun

Did you know?

What is the difference between a transitive verb and an intransitive verb?

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object, which is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that follows the verb and completes the sentence's meaning by indicating the person or thing that receives the action of the verb. The direct object typically answers the question what? or whom?:

The kids like pickles.

That really annoys me.

Have they sold their house yet?

An intransitive verb is not used with a direct object. If something comes after an intransitive verb, that is, in the position usually inhabited by the direct object, it doesn't answer what? or whom?; instead it answers a question like where?, when?, how?, or how long?:

Her car died suddenly last week.

Someone was coughing loudly.

A single verb can have both transitive and intransitive uses:

They are playing soccer.

They've been playing all afternoon.

A transitive verb can also have an indirect object, which is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that comes before a direct object and indicates the person or thing that receives what is being given or done. Many common verbs can be used with both direct and indirect objects. In the following examples the indirect object is in italics:

Find her a chair.

Can you read me the letter?

Who gave her lawyers the information?

He's saving Caitlin a piece.

Examples of transitive in a Sentence

In “I like pie” and “She makes hats,” the verbs “like” and “makes” are transitive.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Blake’s poem, this line of thinking is transitive—fly and man both drink, sing, suffer. —Hannah Brooks-Motl june 2, Literary Hub, 2 June 2025

The guitar, by transitive property, broke down racial and class barriers, fought tyranny, freed up minds and bodies. —Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 19 May 2025

An example of a domain with good transitive properties is summarizing legal contracts. —John Werner, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025

Until now, there have only been three studies that showed non-human animals are capable of copying intransitive actions, but the intransitive actions in these studies were all by-products of transitive actions. —Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin transitivus, from Latin transitus, past participle of transire

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

transitive

adjective

tran·​si·​tive ˈtran(t)s-ət-iv 

ˈtranz-;

ˈtran(t)s-tiv

1

: having or containing a direct object

a transitive verb

2

: of, relating to, or characterized by transition

transitively adverb