What term describes a verb that does not have a direct object?

An intransitive verb is characterized by its inability to take a direct object. This means that the verb conveys an action or state of being that does not transfer to something else. For instance, in the sentence "He sleeps," the verb "sleeps" does not act upon a direct object; it simply indicates the action of the subject without affecting another entity.

Transitive verbs, on the other hand, require a direct object to complete their meaning, and action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive based on their use in a sentence. Linking verbs connect the subject with more information about it, but they do not express action in the same way that intransitive and transitive verbs do. Thus, intransitive verbs stand apart for their function of not needing a direct object to convey meaning.