It’s great when architects meticulously document every domain noun — precise names, thoughtful attributes, elegant relationships. But too often, this results in an anemic domain model: code where entities are mere data bags shuffled between layers. Compare “the plane accelerated and took off” to “the TakeoffManager moved the plane from ground to air.” One version has agency; the other begs for resuscitation.
Every writer knows: verbs bring sentences to life. A string of five nouns is a stillborn thought, but add one strong verb—suddenly, it smiles. The same applies to code. Purposeful domain verbs (beyond generic Store/Get/Parse) radically simplify collaboration.
Take my field: we detonate malware and defang malicious links. These verbs might not be 100% technically precise, but the imagery — a helmeted analyst burying a malicious file in sand before lighting the fuse — is alive. And that vitality stems from choosing the right verbs.
