An approved verb is a PowerShell verb recognized by the standard Verb-Noun naming convention. The list is guidance rather than a hard restriction, but following it makes commands easier to discover and more native-looking. section 3.2 section 8.4
Use approved verbs as practical design constraints when creating commands:
- Run Get-Verb to inspect the current approved list rather than guessing at a verb. section 3.2
- Choose the verb that best describes the command's single operation; let separate commands handle filtering or other distinct work. section 6.5.2
- Use a singular, organization-prefixed noun, such as Get-GlobalUser, to improve discovery and reduce naming conflicts. section 3.2 section 8.4
- Check Microsoft Learn when distinctions are unclear, while recognizing that established commands may preserve older choices. section 8.4
Let the verb define the tool
Suppose a user-processing task enriches Active Directory objects and removes accounts that have never logged on. Rather than forcing both jobs into one command, create an Add-style enrichment tool and use Where-Object for filtering. The approved verb exposes the intended operation and encourages a reusable pipeline. section 6.5.2
