Phrasal Verbs List

Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting

of verb + adverb orverb + preposition. Think of them
as you would any other English vocabulary. Study them
as you come across them, rather than trying to
memorize many at once. se the list below as a
reference guide when you find an e!pression that you
don"t recognize. The e!amples will help you understand
the meanings. #f you think of each phrasal verb as a
separate verb with a specific meaning, you will be able
to remember it more easily. $ike many other verbs,
phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning.
This list shows about 200 common phrasal verbs,
with meanings and e!amples. %nly the most usual
meanings are given. Some phrasal verbs may have
additional meanings.
See also our pages with 1000+ Phrasal Verbs, with
definitions, synonyms, e!planations, sample sentences,
collocations and &uizzes 'with answers(.
)s well as learning their meanings, you need to
learn how to use phrasal verbs.
Verb Meaning Example
ask someone out invite on a
date
*rian asked +udy ou
t to dinner and a
movie.
ask around ask many
people the
# asked around but
nobody has seen my
same
&uestion
wallet.
add up
to something
e&ual ,our purchases add
up to-./0.1..
back something u
p
reverse ,ou"ll have to back
upyour car so that #
can get out.
back someone up support 2y
wife backed me upo
ver my decision to
&uit my 3ob.
blow up e!plode The racing car blew
upafter it crashed
into the fence.
blow something u
p
add air 4e have to blow 0/
balloons up for the
party.
break down stop
functioning
'vehicle,
machine(
%ur car broke
down at the side of
the highway in the
snowstorm.
break down get upset The woman broke
down when the
police told her that
her son had died.
break something
down
divide into
smaller
parts
%ur
teacher broke the
final
pro3ect down into
three separate parts.
break in force entry
to a building
Somebody broke
in last night and stole
our stereo.
break
into something
enter
forcibly
The firemen had
to break into the
room to rescue the
children.
break something
in
wear
something a
few times so
that it
doesn"t
look5feel
new
# need
to break these
shoes in before we
run ne!t week.
break in interrupt The T6 station broke
in to report the news
of the president"s
death.
break up end a
relationship
2y boyfriend and
# broke up before #
moved to )merica.
break up start
laughing
'informal(
The kids 3ust broke
up as soon as the
clown started talking.
break out escape The prisoners broke
out of 3ail when the
guards weren"t
looking.
break out
insomething
develop a
skin
condition
# broke out in a rash
after our camping
trip.
bring someone do
wn
make
unhappy
This sad music
is bringingme down
.
bring someone up raise a child 2y
grandparents brough
tme up after my
parents died.
bring something u
p
start talking
about a
sub3ect
2y mother walks out
of the room when my
fatherbrings
up sports.
bring something u
p
vomit 7e drank so much
that hebrought his
dinner up in the
toilet.
call around phone many
different
places5peopl
e
4e called
around but we
weren"t able to find
the car part we
needed.
call someone back return a
phone call
# called the
company backbut
the offices were
closed for the
weekend.
call something o cancel +ason called the
weddingo because
he wasn"t in love with
his fianc8.
call on someone ask for an
answer or
opinion
The professor called
onme for &uestion 9.
call on someone visit
someone
4e called on you
last night but you
weren"t home.
call someone up phone :ive me your phone
number and #
will call youup when
we are in town.
calm down rela! after
being angry
,ou are still mad. ,ou
need to calm
down before you
drive the car.
not care
orsomeone/somet
hing
not like
'formal(
# don"t care or his
behaviour.
catch up get to the
same point
as someone
else
,ou"ll have to run
faster than that if you
want tocatch up with
2arty.
check in arrive and
register at a
hotel or
airport
4e will get the hotel
keys when we check
in.
check out leave a hotel ,ou have to check
out of the hotel
before 99;// )2.
checksomeone/so
methingout
look at
carefully,
investigate
The company checks
outall new
employees.
check
outsomeone/some
thing
look at
'informal(
!heck out the crazy
hair on that guy<
cheer up become
happier
She cheered
up when she heard
the good news.
cheer someone up make
happier
# brought you some
flowers
to cheer you up.
chip in help #f everyone chips
in we can get the
kitchen painted by
noon.
clean something u
p
tidy, clean Please clean up your
bedroom before you
go outside.
come
acrosssomething
find
une!pectedl
y
# came across these
old photos when #
was tidying the
closet.
come apart separate The top and
bottom come
apart if you pull hard
enough.
come down
withsomething
become sick 2y nephew came
down with chicken
po! this weekend.
come orward volunteer
for a task or
to give
evidence
The woman came
orwardwith her
husband"s finger
prints.
come
romsomewhere
originate in The art of
origami comes
rom )sia.
count
onsomeone/somet
hing
rely on # am counting
on you to make
dinner while # am
out.
cross something o
ut
draw a line
through
Please cross
out your old address
and write your new
one.
cut back
onsomething
consume
less
2y doctor wants me
to cut back
on sweets and fatty
foods.
cut something do
wn
make
something
fall to the
ground
4e had to cut the old
tree in our
yard down after the
storm.
cut in interrupt ,our father cut
in while # was
dancing with your
uncle.
cut in pull in too
closely in
front of
another
vehicle
The bus driver got
angry when that
car cut in.
cut in start
operating
'of an
engine or
electrical
device(
The air
conditioner cuts
inwhen the
temperature gets to
..=>.
cut something o remove with
something
sharp
The doctors cut
o his leg because it
was severely in3ured.
cut something o stop
providing
The phone
company cut o our
phone because we
didn"t pay the bill.
cut someone o take out of a
will
2y
grandparents cut my
father o when he
remarried.
cut something out remove part
of
something
'usually with
# cut this ad out of
the newspaper.
scissors and
paper(
dosomeone/somet
hingover
beat up,
ransack
'*r.E.,
informal(
7e"s lucky to be alive.
7is shop was done
over by a street
gang.
do something over do again
'?.)mer.(
2y teacher wants me
todo my
essay over because
she doesn"t like my
topic.
do awa"
withsomething
discard #t"s time to do awa"
withall of these old
ta! records.
do something up fasten, close #o your
coat up before you
go outside. #t"s
snowing<
dress up wear nice
clothing
#t"s a fancy
restaurant so we
have to dress up.
drop back move back
in a
position5gro
up
)ndrea dropped
back to third place
when she fell off her
bike.
drop in$b"$over come
without an
appointment
# might drop
in$b"$overfor tea
sometime this week.
dropsomeone/som
ethingo
take
someone5so
mething
somewhere
and leave
them5it
there
# have to drop my
sistero at work
before # come over.
drop out &uit a class,
school etc
# dropped out of
Science because it
was too difficult.
eat out eat at a
restaurant
# don"t feel like
cooking tonight.
$et"s eat out.
end up eventually
reach5do5de
cide
4e ended up renting
a movie instead of
going to the theatre.
all apart break into
pieces
2y new dress ell
apart in the washing
machine.
all down fall to the
ground
The picture that you
hung up last
night ell down this
morning.
all out separate
from an
interior
The money must
haveallen out of my
pocket.
all out 'of hair,
teeth(
become
7is hair started
to all outwhen he
was only 10.
loose and
unattached
igure something
out
understand,
find the
answer
# need to igure
out how to fit the
piano and the
bookshelf in this
room.
ill something in to write
information
in blanks
'*r.E.(
Please ill in the form
with your name,
address, and phone
number.
ill something out to write
information
in blanks
'?.)mer.(
The form must
be illed out in
capital letters.
ill something up fill to the top # always ill the
water 3ugup when it
is empty.
ind out discover 4e don"t know where
he lives. 7ow can
we ind out@
ind something ou
t
discover 4e tried to keep the
time of the party a
secret, but
Samantha ound it o
ut.
get somethingacro
ss$over
communicat
e, make
understanda
# tried to get my
pointacross$over to
the 3udge but she
ble wouldn"t listen.
get along$on like each
other
# was surprised how
well my new
girlfriend and my
sister got along$on.
get around have
mobility
2y grandfather
can get around fine
in his new
wheelchair.
get awa" go on a
vacation
4e worked so hard
this year that we had
to get awa" for a
week.
get awa"
withsomething
do without
being
noticed or
punished
+ason always gets
awa" with cheating
in his maths tests.
get back return 4e got back from
our vacation last
week.
get something bac
k
receive
something
you had
before
$iz finally got her
Science
notes back from my
room-mate.
get back
at someone
retaliate,
take
revenge
2y sister got back
at me for stealing her
shoes. She stole my
favourite hat.
get back
intosomething
become
interested in
something
again
# finally got back
into my novel and
finished it.
get on something step onto a
vehicle
4e"re going to freeze
out here if you don"t
let us get on the
bus.
get
over something
recover from
an illness,
loss,
difficulty
# 3ust got over the
flu and now my sister
has it.
get
over something
overcome a
problem
The company will
have to close if it
can"t get overthe
new regulations.
get round
tosomething
finally find
time to do
'?.)mer.; g
et around
tosomethin
g(
# don"t know when #
am going to get
round towriting the
thank you cards.
get together meet
'usually for
social
reasons(
$et"s get
together for a **A
this weekend.
get up get out of
bed
# got up early today
to study for my
e!am.
get up stand ,ou should get
up and give the
elderly man your
seat.
give someone awa
"
reveal
hidden
information
about
someone
7is
wife gave him awa"
to the police.
give someone awa
"
take the
bride to the
altar
2y
father gave me awa
"at my wedding.
give something aw
a"
ruin a secret 2y little
sister gave the
surprise
party awa" by
accident.
give something aw
a"
give
something
to someone
for free
The library
was giving awa" old
books on Briday.
give something ba
ck
return a
borrowed
item
# have to give these
skatesback to Branz
before his hockey
game.
give in reluctantly
stop fighting
or arguing
2y boyfriend didn"t
want to go to the
ballet, but he
finally gave in.
give something ou
t
give to
many people
'usually at
no cost(
They were giving
out free perfume
samples at the
department store.
give something up &uit a habit # am giving
up smoking as of
+anuary 9st.
give up stop trying 2y maths homework
was too difficult so
# gave up.
go ater someone follow
someone
2y brother tried
to go ater the thief
in his car.
go
ater something
try to
achieve
something
# went ater my
dream and now # am
a published writer.
go
against someone
compete,
oppose
4e are going
against the best
soccer team in the
city tonight.
go ahead start,
proceed
Please go ahead and
eat before the food
gets cold.
go back return to a
place
# have to go
back home and get
my lunch.
go out leave home
to go on a
4e"re going out for
dinner tonight.
social event
go out
with someone
date +esse has been going
out with $uke since
they met last winter.
go over something review Please go over your
answers before you
submit your test.
go over visit
someone
nearby
# haven"t seen Tina
for a long time. #
think #"ll go over for
an hour or two.
go
without somethin
g
suffer lack
or
deprivation
4hen # was young,
wewent
without winter
boots.
grow apart stop being
friends over
time
2y best friend and
# grew apart after
she changed schools.
grow back regrow 2y roses grew
back this summer.
grow up become an
adult
4hen +ack grows
up he wants to be a
fireman.
grow out
osomething
get too big
for
Elizabeth needs a
new pair of shoes
because she
hasgrown out o her
old ones.
grow
into something
grow big
enough to fit
This bike is too big
for him now, but he
should grow into it
by ne!t year.
hand something d
own
give
something
used to
someone
else
# handed my old
comic books down to
my little cousin.
hand something in submit # have to hand in my
essay by Briday.
hand something o
ut
to distribute
to a group
of people
4e will hand out the
invitations at the
door.
hand something o
ver
give 'usually
unwillingly(
The police asked the
man to hand
over his wallet and
his weapons.
hang in stay positive
'?.)mer.,
informal(
%ang in there. #"m
sure you"ll find a 3ob
very soon.
hang on wait a short
time
'informal(
%ang on while # grab
my coat and shoes<
hang out spend time
rela!ing
'informal(
#nstead of going to
the party we are 3ust
going tohang out at
my place.
hang up end a phone
call
7e didn"t say
goodbye before
he hung up.
holdsomeone/som
ethingback
prevent
from
doing5going
# had to hold my
dog backbecause
there was a cat in the
park.
hold something ba
ck
hide an
emotion
+amie held back his
tears at his
grandfather"s funeral.
hold on wait a short
time
Please hold on while
# transfer you to the
Sales Cepartment.
hold
ontosomeone/som
ething
hold firmly
using your
hands or
arms
%old onto your hat
because it"s very
windy outside.
holdsomeone/som
ethingup
rob ) man in a black
maskheld the
bank up this
morning.
keep on
doingsomething
continue
doing
&eep on stirring until
the li&uid comes to a
boil.
keep something r
omsomeone
not tell 4e kept our
relationshiprom our
parents for two
years.
keepsomeone/som
ethingout
stop from
entering
Try to keep the wet
dogout of the living
room.
keep something u
p
continue at
the same
rate
#f you keep those
resultsup you will get
into a great college.
let someone down fail to
support or
help,
disappoint
# need you to be on
time.
Con"t let me down t
his time.
let someone in allow to
enter
>an you let the
cat in before you go
to school@
log in 'or on( sign in 'to a
website,
database
etc(
# can"t log in to
Bacebook because
#"ve forgotten my
password.
log out 'or o( sign out 'of
a website,
database
etc(
#f you don"t log o
somebody could get
into your account.
look ater
someone/somethin
g
take care of # have to look
ater my sick
grandmother.
look down on
someone
think less of,
consider
inferior
Ever since we stole
that chocolate bar
your dad has looked
down on me.
look or
someone/somethin
g
try to find #"m looking or a red
dress for the
wedding.
look orward to
something
be e!cited
about the
future
#"m looking orward
to the >hristmas
break.
look
into something
investigate 4e are going to look
into the price of
snowboards today.
look out be careful,
vigilant, and
take notice
$ook out< That car"s
going to hit you<
look out or
someone/somethin
g
be especially
vigilant for
Con"t forget to look
out or snakes on
the hiking trail.
look something ov
er
check,
e!amine
>an you look
over my essay for
spelling mistakes@
look something up search and
find
information
in a
reference
book or
database
4e can look her
phone number up on
the #nternet.
look up
to someone
have a lot of
respect for
2y little sister has
always looked up to
me.
make something u
p
invent, lie
about
something
+osie made up a
story about why we
were late.
make up forgive each
other
4e were angry last
night, but we made
up at breakfast.
make someone up apply
cosmetics to
2y
sisters made me up f
or my graduation
party.
mix something up confuse two
or more
things
# mixed up the
twins" names again<
pass awa" die 7is uncle passed
awa"last night after
a long illness.
pass out faint #t was so hot in the
church that an elderly
lady passed out.
pass something ou
t
give the
same thing
to many
people
The
professor passed the
te!tbooks out before
class.
pass something up decline
'usually
something
good(
# passed up the 3ob
because # am afraid
of change.
pa" someone back return owed Thanks for buying my
money ticket.
#"ll pa" you back on
Briday.
pa" or something be punished
for doing
something
bad
That bully will pa"
or being mean to
my little brother.
pick something ou
t
choose # picked out three
sweaters for you to
try on.
pointsomeone/so
methingout
indicate with
your finger
#"ll point my
boyfriend outwhen
he runs by.
put something do
wn
put what
you are
holding on a
surface or
floor
,ou can put the
groceriesdown on
the kitchen counter.
put someone dow
n
insult, make
someone
feel stupid
The students put the
substitute
teacher downbecaus
e his pants were too
short.
put something o postpone 4e are putting
o our trip until
+anuary because of
the hurricane.
put something out e!tinguish The
neighbours put the
fireout before the
firemen arrived.
put somethingtog
ether
assemble # have to put the
cribtogether before
the baby arrives.
put up
withsomeone/som
ething
tolerate # don"t think #
can put up
with three small
children in the car.
put something on put
clothing5acc
essories on
your body
Con"t forget to put
onyour new earrings
for the party.
run
intosomeone/som
ething
meet
une!pectedl
y
# ran into an old
school-friend at the
mall.
run
oversomeone/som
ething
drive a
vehicle over
a person or
thing
# accidentally ran
overyour bicycle in
the driveway.
run
over$throughsom
ething
rehearse,
review
$et"s run
over$throughthese
lines one more time
before the show.
run awa" leave
une!pectedl
y, escape
The child ran
awa" from home and
has been missing for
three days.
run out have none
left
4e ran out of
shampoo so # had to
wash my hair with
soap.
send something b
ack
return
'usually by
mail(
2y letter got sent
back to me because
# used the wrong
stamp.
set something up arrange,
organize
%ur boss set a
meeting upwith the
president of the
company.
set someone up trick, trap The police set up the
car thief by using a
hidden camera.
shop around compare
prices
# want to shop
around a little before
# decide on these
boots.
show o act e!tra
special for
people
watching
'usually
boastfully(
7e always shows
o on his skateboard
sleep over stay
somewhere
for the night
'informal(
,ou should sleep
overtonight if the
weather is too bad to
drive home.
sort something ou
t
organize,
resolve a
problem
4e need to sort the
billsout before the
first of the month.
stick to something continue
doing
something,
limit
yourself to
one
particular
thing
,ou will lose weight if
youstick to the diet.
switch something
o
stop the
energy flow,
turn off
The light"s too bright.
>ould
you switch it o.
switch something
on
start the
energy flow,
turn on
4e heard the news
as soon as
we switched onthe
car radio.
take
ater someone
resemble a
family
member
# take ater my
mother. 4e are both
impatient.
take something ap
art
purposely
break into
pieces
7e took the car
brakes apart and
found the problem.
take something ba
ck
return an
item
# have to take our
new T6
back because it
doesn"t work.
take o start to fly 2y plane takes o in
five minutes.
take something o remove
something
'usually
clothing(
'ake o your socks
and shoes and come
in the lake<
take something ou
t
remove
from a place
or thing
>an you take the
garbage out to the
street for me@
take someone out pay for
someone to
go
somewhere
with you
2y
grandparents took
us out for dinner and
a movie.
tear something up rip into
pieces
# tore up my e!-
boyfriend"s letters
and gave them back
to him.
think back remember
'often D to,
sometimes
D on(
4hen # think
back on my youth, #
wish # had studied
harder.
think something o
ver
consider #"ll have to think this
3ob offer over before
# make my final
decision.
throw somethinga
wa"
dispose of 4e threw our old
furnitureawa" when
we won the lottery.
turn something do
wn
decrease the
volume or
strength
'heat, light
etc(
Please turn the
T6 downwhile the
guests are here.
turn something do
wn
refuse # turned the
3ob downbecause #
don"t want to move.
turn something o stop the
energy flow,
switch off
,our mother wants
you toturn the
T6 o and come for
dinner.
turn something on start the
energy,
switch on
#t"s too dark in here.
$et"sturn some
lights on.
turn something up increase the
volume or
strength
'heat, light
etc(
>an you turn the
musicup@ This is my
favourite song.
turn up appear
suddenly
%ur cat turned
up after we put
posters up all over
the neighbourhood.
tr" something on sample
clothing
#"m going
to tr" these
3eans on, but # don"t
think they will fit.
tr" something out test # am going to tr" this
new brand of
detergent out.
use something up finish the
supply
The kids used all of
the toothpaste up so
we need to buy some
more.
wake up stop
sleeping
4e have to wake
up early for work on
2onday.
warmsomeone/so
methingup
increase the
temperature
,ou can warm your
feetup in front of the
fireplace.
warm up prepare
body for
e!ercise
# always warm up by
doing sit-ups before #
go for a run.
wear o fade away 2ost of my make-
up wore o before #
got to the party.
work out e!ercise # work out at the
gym three times a
week.
work out be
successful
%ur plan worked
out fine.
work something o
ut
make a
calculation
4e have to work
out the total cost
before we buy the
house.
*r.E.; *ritish EnglishE ?.)mer.; ?orth )merican
Phrasal Verbs (ui) *
Phrasal Verbs +eerence