Phrasal Verbs List

Phrasal Verb

Meaning

Example Sentence

Account for

Explain the reason for something

She couldn’t account for her absence.

Act on

Take action based on advice or information

The police acted on the tip.

Act out

Perform or demonstrate

The children acted out the play.

Act up

Behave badly or malfunction

My phone is acting up again.

Add on

Include in addition

They added on extra charges.

Add up

Make sense; calculate

His story doesn’t add up.

Agree with

Share the same opinion

I agree with your point.

Allow for

Consider when planning

Allow for traffic delays.

Answer back

Respond rudely

Don’t answer back to your teacher.

Ask after

Inquire about someone’s health

He asked after your mother.

Ask around

Ask several people

I’ll ask around for a good mechanic.

Ask out

Invite someone on a date

He asked her out to dinner.

Back away

Move backwards in fear

She backed away from the dog.

Back down

Withdraw from a position

He refused to back down.

Back out

Cancel an agreement

They backed out at the last minute.

Back up

Support or make a copy

I’ll back up your plan.

Bawl out

Scold loudly

The boss bawled him out.

Bear with

Be patient with

Please bear with me.

Beat up

Attack violently

He was beaten up by thugs.

Blow away

Impress someone greatly

The show blew me away.

Blow up

Explode; get angry

The bomb blew up. / She blew up at him.

Boil down to

Be summarized as

It boils down to hard work.

Break away

Escape from control

The horse broke away.

Break down

Stop functioning; lose control

The car broke down. / She broke down crying.

Break in

Interrupt or force entry

Thieves broke in last night.

Break into

Enter by force

They broke into the shop.

Break off

End suddenly

They broke off their engagement.

Break out

Start suddenly (war, fire, disease)

A fire broke out.

Break through

Make progress despite obstacles

Scientists broke through in cancer research.

Break up

End a relationship or disperse

They broke up last year.

Bring about

Cause something

The reforms brought about change.

Bring along

Take with you

Bring along your ID.

Bring back

Return or reintroduce

This photo brings back memories.

Bring down

Reduce or overthrow

The news brought down prices.

Bring forward

Move to an earlier date

The exam was brought forward.

Bring in

Introduce; earn

The company brought in new policies.

Bring out

Publish or release

They brought out a new model.

Bring up

Mention; raise a child

She brought up an idea. / He was brought up by his aunt.

Brush off

Ignore

He brushed off the comment.

Brush up on

Improve knowledge

I need to brush up on my math.

Burn out

Become exhausted

He burned out from stress.

Burst into

Suddenly begin

She burst into laughter.

Call back

Return a call

I’ll call you back later.

Call off

Cancel

They called off the meeting.

Call on

Visit or ask to speak

The teacher called on me.

Call out

Shout; challenge

She called out his name.

Calm down

Relax

Please calm down.

Care for

Look after

She cared for the baby.

Carry on

Continue

Carry on with your work.

Carry out

Perform a task

The police carried out an investigation.

Catch on

Become popular

The song caught on quickly.

Catch up

Reach the same level

I need to catch up with my studies.

Check in

Register at a hotel/airport

We checked in at the hotel.

Check out

Leave a hotel; examine

He checked out of the hospital.

Cheer up

Become happier

Cheer up! It’s not so bad.

Chip in

Contribute

We all chipped in for a gift.

Clean up

Make clean

Let’s clean up the mess.

Clear out

Remove; leave

They cleared out the old files.

Clear up

Resolve; brighten (weather)

The issue was cleared up.

Close down

Shut permanently

The shop closed down.

Come across

Find by chance

I came across an old photo.

Come along

Accompany; progress

She came along with us.

Come back

Return

He came back home late.

Come by

Obtain

Jobs like this are hard to come by.

Come down

Fall; decrease

Prices came down.

Come in

Enter

Please come in.

Come off

Succeed

The plan came off well.

Come out

Become visible; be published

The truth came out. / The book came out in June.

Come over

Visit

Why don’t you come over tonight?

Come up

Be mentioned

The topic came up in class.

Come up with

Invent; suggest

She came up with a new idea.

Count on

Rely on

You can count on me.

Cross out

Draw a line through

Cross out the wrong answer.

Cut back on

Reduce

He cut back on sugar.

Cut down

Reduce size or amount

They cut down the tree.

Cut off

Disconnect; interrupt

The electricity was cut off.

Cut out

Remove; stop doing

Cut out the bad habits.

Deal with

Handle

She deals with complaints.

Die down

Decrease; calm

The noise died down.

Die out

Become extinct

Dinosaurs died out.

Do away with

Abolish

Slavery was done away with.

Do over

Repeat

He had to do the test over.

Do without

Manage without

I can’t do without coffee.

Draw back

Retreat

He drew back in fear.

Draw up

Prepare a document

They drew up a contract.

Dress up

Wear formal clothes

She dressed up for the party.

Drop by

Visit informally

I’ll drop by tomorrow.

Drop off

Deliver; fall asleep

I’ll drop you off at school.

Drop out

Quit school

He dropped out of college.

Eat out

Dine at a restaurant

We ate out last night.

End up

Finally do or be

He ended up rich.

Figure out

Understand

I figured out the answer.

Find out

Discover

She found out the truth.

Fix up

Repair; arrange

They fixed up the old house.

Get ahead

Progress

He wants to get ahead in business.

Get along

Have a good relationship

They get along well.

Get around

Move about; avoid

News gets around fast.

Get at

Hint at

What are you getting at?

Get away

Escape; go on vacation

The thief got away. / We got away for the weekend.

Get back

Return

He got back home.

Get by

Manage

We can get by with little money.

Get in

Enter

He got in the car.

Get into

Become interested in

She got into painting.

Get off

Leave transport

We got off the bus.

Get on

Enter transport; progress

She got on the train. / How are you getting on?

Get out

Leave; become known

Get out of here! / The news got out.

Get over

Recover

She got over her illness.

Get through

Finish; survive

He got through the test.

Get together

Meet socially

Let’s get together this weekend.

Give away

Donate; reveal

He gave away old clothes.

Give back

Return

Give the book back to me.

Give in

Surrender

She gave in to pressure.

Give up

Quit

Don’t give up hope.

Go after

Pursue

He went after the thief.

Go ahead

Proceed

Go ahead with your plan.

Go along with

Agree with

I’ll go along with your idea.

Go away

Leave

Please go away.

Go back

Return

I’ll go back home.

Go by

Pass; follow

Time goes by quickly.

Go down

Decrease

The prices went down.

Go for

Attempt

He went for the gold medal.

Go in for

Like; participate

She goes in for tennis.

Go off

Explode; ring

The bomb went off. / The alarm went off.

Go on

Continue; happen

Go on with your story.

Go out

Leave home; stop burning

We went out last night. / The fire went out.

Go over

Review

Let’s go over the notes.

Go through

Experience; examine

She went through a hard time.

Go with

Match; accompany

That shirt goes with your pants.

Grow up

Become an adult

He grew up in India.

Hand back

Return

Hand back the test paper.

Hand in

Submit

Please hand in your assignment.

Hand out

Distribute

They handed out flyers.

Hand over

Give to authority

Hand over the keys.

Hang on

Wait; hold tightly

Hang on a minute.

Hang out

Spend time socially

They hang out at the café.

Hang up

End a call

She hung up the phone.

Hold back

Control; restrain

He held back his anger.

Hold on

Wait

Hold on, I’m coming.

Hold up

Delay; rob

The train was held up. / The bank was held up.

Keep away

Maintain distance

Keep away from danger.

Keep back

Withhold

She kept back the truth.

Keep down

Control

Keep the noise down.

Keep off

Avoid

Keep off the grass.

Keep on

Continue

Keep on working.

Keep up

Maintain; continue

Keep up the good work.

Kick off

Start

The match kicked off.

Knock down

Demolish

They knocked down the wall.

Knock out

Make unconscious

The boxer knocked him out.

Leave out

Omit

Don’t leave out any details.

Let down

Disappoint

Don’t let me down.

Let in

Allow inside

Let the dog in.

Let off

Excuse without punishment

He was let off with a warning.

Let out

Release

They let out a secret.

Live up to

Fulfill expectations

He lived up to his reputation.

Look after

Take care of

She looks after her brother.

Look at

Observe

Look at the stars.

Look back on

Reflect on the past

She looked back on her childhood.

Look down on

Consider inferior

Don’t look down on others.

Look for

Search

I’m looking for my keys.

Look forward to

Anticipate with pleasure

I look forward to the holidays.

Look into

Investigate

Police are looking into the case.

Look out

Be careful

Look out for cars.

Look over

Examine quickly

Look over your notes.

Look up

Search in reference; improve

Look up the word. / Things are looking up.

Look up to

Respect

Children look up to their parents.

Make for

Move towards

He made for the door.

Make out

Understand; kiss

I can’t make out his handwriting.

Make over

Transfer ownership

She made over the property to him.

Make up

Invent; reconcile

She made up a story. / They made up after the fight.

Make up for

Compensate

This will make up for the loss.

Mix up

Confuse

Don’t mix up the files.

Pass away

Die

His grandfather passed away.

Pass by

Go past

We passed by the museum.

Pass out

Faint; distribute

He passed out during the heat. / They passed out books.

Pass up

Miss an opportunity

Don’t pass up this chance.

Pay back

Return money

He paid back the loan.

Pay off

Settle debt; succeed

She paid off her credit card. / Hard work pays off.

Pick on

Bully

Don’t pick on the weak.

Pick out

Choose

Pick out a dress.

Pick up

Lift; learn; collect

He picked up the book. / She picked up Spanish quickly.

Point out

Indicate

He pointed out the mistake.

Pull down

Demolish

They pulled down the old building.

Pull in

Arrive

The train pulled in at 6.

Pull off

Succeed

He pulled off a surprise win.

Pull out

Withdraw

The troops pulled out.

Pull through

Survive

She pulled through the illness.

Pull up

Stop vehicle

He pulled up to the house.

Put aside

Save for later

She puts aside money each month.

Put away

Store; imprison

Put away the toys. / He was put away for theft.

Put down

Write; criticize; euthanize

Put down your notes. / He put down his opponent.

Put forward

Propose

She put forward a new idea.

Put off

Postpone; discourage

They put off the meeting. / The smell put me off.

Put on

Dress; pretend

She put on her coat. / Don’t put on an act.

Put out

Extinguish; inconvenience

He put out the fire. / Sorry to put you out.

Put up

Provide accommodation; display

They put up a tent.

Put up with

Tolerate

She put up with his behavior.

Run across

Meet by chance

I ran across an old friend.

Run after

Chase

The dog ran after the ball.

Run away

Escape

The child ran away from home.

Run into

Meet unexpectedly

I ran into my teacher.

Run out of

Exhaust supply

We ran out of milk.

Run over

Knock down with a vehicle

He was run over by a car.

Run through

Rehearse; squander

Let’s run through the script.

Run up against

Encounter difficulties

We ran up against problems.

See off

Say goodbye

We saw them off at the station.

See through

Detect the truth

She saw through his lies.

Set about

Start doing

He set about cleaning.

Set aside

Reserve

Set aside some money.

Set back

Delay

The storm set back construction.

Set down

Record

Set down your ideas.

Set off

Begin a journey; trigger

They set off early. / The alarm set off.

Set out

Begin a task or journey

They set