Phrasal Verbs List

Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb +

adverb or verb + 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. Use the list below as a reference guide when you find
an expression that you don't recognize. The example sentences will help you
understand the meanings. If you think of each phrasal verb as a separate verb
with a specific meaning, you will be able to remember it more easily. Like many
other verbs, phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning.
As well as learning their meanings, you can study the grammar of phrasal verbs.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

ask someone out

invite on a date

Brian askedJudy out to

dinner and a movie.

ask around

ask many people

I asked aroundbut nobody

the same

has seen my wallet.

question

add up to something

equal

Your purchasesadd up
to$205.32.

back something up

reverse

You'll have toback up your

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

car so that I can get out.

back someone up

support

My wife backedme up over

my decision to quit my job.

blow up

explode

The racing carblew up after

it crashed into the fence.

blow something up

add air

We have toblow 50
balloonsup for the party.

break down

break down

stop functioning

Our car broke down at the

(vehicle,

side of the highway in the

machine)

snowstorm.

get upset

The womanbroke
downwhen the police told
her that her son had died.

break somethingdown

divide into

Our teacherbroke the final

smaller parts

project downinto three

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

separate parts.

break in

break into something

force entry to a

Somebodybroke in last

building

night and stole our stereo.

enter forcibly

The firemen had to break

intothe room to rescue the
children.

break something in

wear something

I need to breakthese

a few times so

shoes inbefore we run next

that it doesn't

week.

look/feel new

break in

interrupt

The TV stationbroke in to
report the news of the
president's death.

break up

end a

My boyfriend and I broke

relationship

upbefore I moved to
America.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

break up

start laughing

The kids justbroke up as

(informal)

soon as the clown started

talking.

break out

escape

The prisonersbroke out of

jail when the guards weren't
looking.

break out insomething

bring someone down

develop a skin

I broke out in a rash after

condition

our camping trip.

make unhappy

This sad music

isbringing medown.

bring someone up

raise a child

My
grandparentsbrought me u
pafter my parents died.

bring something up

start talking

My mother walks out of the

about a subject

room when my
fatherbrings upsports.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

bring something up

vomit

He drank so much that

hebrought his dinner up in
the toilet.

call around

call someone back

phone many

We called around but we

different

weren't able to find the car

places/people

part we needed.

return a phone

I called the

call

company backbut the

offices were closed for the
weekend.

call something off

cancel

Jason called the

wedding offbecause he
wasn't in love with his
fianc.

call on someone

ask for an

The professorcalled on me

answer or

for question 1.

opinion

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

call on someone

visit someone

We called onyou last night

but you weren't home.

call someone up

phone

Give me your phone

number and I
will callyou up when we
are in town.

calm down

relax after being

You are still mad. You need

angry

to calm downbefore you

drive the car.

not care

not like (formal)

forsomeone/something

catch up

check in

I don't care forhis

behaviour.

get to the same

You'll have to run faster

point as

than that if you want

someone else

to catch up with Marty.

arrive and

We will get the hotel keys

register at a

when we check in.

hotel or airport

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

check out

leave a hotel

You have tocheck out of

the hotel before 11:00 AM.

checksomeone/something

look at carefully,

The companychecks out all

out

investigate

new employees.

check

look at

Check out the crazy hair on

outsomeone/something

(informal)

that guy!

cheer up

become happier

She cheered upwhen she

heard the good news.

cheer someone up

make happier

I brought you some flowers

tocheer you up.

chip in

help

If everyonechips in we can
get the kitchen painted by
noon.

clean something up

tidy, clean

Please clean upyour

bedroom before you go

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

outside.

come acrosssomething

find

I came acrossthese old

unexpectedly

photos when I was tidying

the closet.

come apart

separate

The top and bottom come

apart if you pull hard
enough.

come down

become sick

withsomething

My nephewcame down
with chicken pox this
weekend.

come forward

come fromsomewhere

volunteer for a

The womancame

task or to give

forwardwith her husband's

evidence

finger prints.

originate in

The art of origami comes

from Asia.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

count

rely on

I am counting on you to

onsomeone/something

cross something out

make dinner while I am out.

draw a line

Please cross outyour old

through

address and write your new

one.

cut back onsomething

consume less

My doctor wants me to cut

back on sweets and fatty
foods.

cut something down

cut in

make something

We had to cutthe old tree in

fall to the

our yard downafter the

ground

storm.

interrupt

Your father cut in while I

was dancing with your
uncle.

cut in

pull in too

The bus driver got angry

closely in front

when that car cut in.

of another

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

vehicle

cut in

cut something off

start operating

The air conditioner cuts

(of an engine or

in when the temperature

electrical device)

gets to 22C.

remove with

The doctors cut off his leg

something sharp

because it was severely

injured.

cut something off

stop providing

The phone company cut

offour phone because we
didn't pay the bill.

cut someone off

take out of a will

My grandparentscut my
fatheroff when he
remarried.

cut something out

remove part of

I cut this ad outof the

something

newspaper.

(usually with
scissors and

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

paper)

dosomeone/somethingove

beat up, ransack

He's lucky to be alive. His

(BrE, informal)

shop was done overby a

street gang.

do something over

do again (AmE)

My teacher wants me
to domy essay overbecause
she doesn't like my topic.

do away withsomething

discard

It's time to do away

with all of these old tax
records.

do something up

fasten, close

Do your coat upbefore you

go outside. It's snowing!

dress up

drop back

wear nice

It's a fancy restaurant so we

clothing

have to dress up.

move back in a

Andrea dropped back to

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

position/group

third place when she fell off

her bike.

drop in/by/over

come without an

I might drop in/by/over for

appointment

tea sometime this week.

dropsomeone/somethingo

take

I have to dropmy

ff

someone/someth

sister off at work before I

ing somewhere

come over.

and leave
them/it there

drop out

eat out

end up

quit a class,

I dropped outof Science

school etc

because it was too difficult.

eat at a

I don't feel like cooking

restaurant

tonight. Let's eat out.

eventually

We ended uprenting a

reach/do/decide

movie instead of going to

the theatre.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

fall apart

break into pieces

My new dressfell apart in

the washing machine.

fall down

fall to the

The picture that you hung

ground

up last night fell downthis

morning.

fall out

separate from an

The money must

interior

have fallen outof my

pocket.

fall out

(of hair, teeth)

His hair started to fall

become loose

out when he was only 35.

and unattached

figure something out

understand, find

I need to figure out how to

the answer

fit the piano and the

bookshelf in this room.

fill something in

to write

Please fill in the form with

information in

your name, address, and

blanks, as on a

phone number.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

form (BrE)

fill something out

to write

The form must be filled

information in

out in capital letters.

blanks, as on a
form (AmE)

fill something up

fill to the top

I always fill the water

jug upwhen it is empty.

find out

discover

We don't know where he

lives. How can we find
out?

find something out

discover

We tried to keep the time of

the party a secret, but
Samanthafound it out.

get somethingacross/ove

communicate,

I tried to get my

make

pointacross/over to the

understandable

judge but she wouldn't

listen.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

get along/on

like each other

I was surprised how well

my new girlfriend and my
sister got along/on.

get around

have mobility

My grandfather can get

aroundfine in his new
wheelchair.

get away

go on a vacation

We worked so hard this

year that we had toget
away for a week.

get away withsomething

get back

do without being

Jason alwaysgets away

noticed or

withcheating in his maths

punished

tests.

return

We got backfrom our

vacation last week.

get something back

receive

Liz finally gother Science

something you

notes back from my room-

had before

mate.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

get back at someone

retaliate, take

My sister got back at me

revenge

for stealing her shoes. She

stole my favourite hat.

get back intosomething

become

I finally got back into my

interested in

novel and finished it.

something again

get on something

step onto a

We're going to freeze out

vehicle

here if you don't let usget

on the bus.

get over something

recover from an

I just got overthe flu and

illness, loss,

now my sister has it.

difficulty

get over something

overcome a

The company will have to

problem

close if it can't get overthe

new regulations.

get round tosomething

finally find time

I don't know when I am

to do (AmE: get

going to get round

phrasal verb

get together

get up

meaning

example sentence

around

towriting the thank you

tosomething)

cards.

meet (usually for

Let's get together for a

social reasons)

BBQ this weekend.

get out of bed

I got up early today to

study for my exam.

get up

stand

You should get up and give

the elderly man your seat.

give someone away

reveal hidden

His wife gavehim away to

information

the police.

about someone

give someone away

give something away

take the bride to

My father gaveme away at

the altar

my wedding.

ruin a secret

My little sistergave the

surprise partyaway by

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

accident.

give something away

give something

The library wasgiving

to someone for

away old books on Friday.

free

give something back

return a

I have to givethese

borrowed item

skatesback to Franz before

his hockey game.

give in

give something out

give something up

reluctantly stop

My boyfriend didn't want to

fighting or

go to the ballet, but he

arguing

finally gave in.

give to many

They weregiving out free

people (usually

perfume samples at the

at no cost)

department store.

quit a habit

I am giving upsmoking as
of January 1st.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

give up

stop trying

My maths homework was

too difficult so Igave up.

go after someone

follow someone

My brother tried to go
after the thief in his car.

go after something

try to achieve

I went after my dream and

something

now I am a published
writer.

go against someone

compete, oppose

We are going against the

best soccer team in the city
tonight.

go ahead

start, proceed

Please go aheadand eat

before the food gets cold.

go back

return to a place

I have to go back home and

get my lunch.

go out

leave home to go

We're going outfor dinner

phrasal verb

go out with someone

meaning

example sentence

on a social event

tonight.

date

Jesse has beengoing out

withLuke since they met
last winter.

go over something

review

Please go overyour answers

before you submit your test.

go over

visit someone

I haven't seen Tina for a

nearby

long time. I think I'llgo

over for an hour or two.

go without something

suffer lack or

When I was young,

deprivation

we went without winter

boots.

grow apart

stop being

My best friend and I grew

friends over time

apart after she changed

schools.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

grow back

regrow

My roses grew back this

summer.

grow up

become an adult

When Jackgrows up he
wants to be a fireman.

grow out ofsomething

get too big for

Elizabeth needs a new pair

of shoes because she
has grown out of her old
ones.

grow into something

grow big enough

This bike is too big for him

to fit

now, but he shouldgrow

into it by next year.

hand somethingdown

hand something in

give something

I handed my old comic

used to someone

booksdown to my little

else

cousin.

submit

I have to hand in my essay

by Friday.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

hand something out

to distribute to a

We will hand out the

group of people

invitations at the door.

give (usually

The police asked the man

unwillingly)

to hand over his wallet and

hand something over

his weapons.

hang in

hang on

hang out

hang up

stay positive

Hang in there. I'm sure

(informal)

you'll find a job very soon.

wait a short time

Hang on while I grab my

(informal)

coat and shoes!

spend time

Instead of going to the party

relaxing

we are just going tohang

(informal)

out at my place.

end a phone call

He didn't say goodbye

before he hung up.

holdsomeone/somethingb

prevent from

I had to hold my

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

ack

doing/going

dog backbecause there was

a cat in the park.

hold something back

hide an emotion

Jamie held backhis tears at

his grandfather's funeral.

hold on

wait a short time

Please hold onwhile I

transfer you to the Sales
Department.

hold

hold firmly

Hold onto your hat because

ontosomeone/something

using your hands

it's very windy outside.

or arms

holdsomeone/somethingu

rob

A man in a black
mask held the bank up this
morning.

keep on doingsomething

continue doing

Keep on stirring until the

liquid comes to a boil.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

keep something fromsom

not tell

We kept our

eone

relationshipfrom our
parents for two years.

keepsomeone/somethingo

stop from

Try to keep the wet

ut

entering

dog out of the living room.

keep something up

continue at the

If you keepthose

same rate

results upyou will get into a

great college.

let someone down

let someone in

fail to support or

I need you to be on time.

help, disappoint

Don'tlet me downthis time.

allow to enter

Can you let the

cat in before you go to
school?

log in (or on)

sign in (to a

I can't log in to Facebook

website,

because I've forgotten my

database etc)

password.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

log out (or off)

sign out (of a

If you don't log

website,

off somebody could get into

database etc)

your account.

take care of

I have to look after my sick

look
aftersomeone/something

look down onsomeone

grandmother.

think less of,

Ever since we stole that

consider inferior

chocolate bar your dad

haslooked down on me.

look

try to find

forsomeone/something

I'm looking fora red dress

for the wedding.

look forward

be excited about

I'm looking forward to the

tosomething

the future

Christmas break.

look into something

investigate

We are going tolook

into the price of
snowboards today.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

look out

be careful,

Look out! That car's going

vigilant, and

to hit you!

take notice

look out

be especially

Don't forget tolook out

forsomeone/something

vigilant for

forsnakes on the hiking

trail.

look something over

check, examine

Can you look over my

essay for spelling mistakes?

look something up

search and find

We can look her phone

information in a

numberup on the Internet.

reference book
or database

look up to someone

make something up

have a lot of

My little sister has

respect for

alwayslooked up to me.

invent, lie about

Josie made up a story

something

about why we were late.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

make up

forgive each

We were angry last night,

other

but wemade up at
breakfast.

make someone up

mix something up

pass away

apply cosmetics

My sisters mademe up for

to

my graduation party.

confuse two or

I mixed up the twins'

more things

names again!

die

His unclepassed awaylast

night after a long illness.

pass out

faint

It was so hot in the church

that an elderly ladypassed
out.

pass something out

give the same

The professorpassed the

thing to many

textbooks outbefore class.

people

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

pass something up

decline (usually

I passed up the job because

something good)

I am afraid of change.

return owed

Thanks for buying my

money

ticket. I'll payyou back on

pay someone back

Friday.

pay for something

pick something out

be punished for

That bully willpay

doing something

for being mean to my little

bad

brother.

choose

I picked outthree sweaters

for you to try on.

pointsomeone/something

indicate with

I'll point my

out

your finger

boyfriend outwhen he runs

by.

put something down

put what you are

You can put the

holding on a

groceries downon the

surface or floor

kitchen counter.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

put someone down

insult, make

The students putthe

someone feel

substitute

stupid

teacher downbecause his

pants were too short.

put something off

postpone

We are putting off our trip

until January because of the
hurricane.

put something out

extinguish

The neighboursput the

fire outbefore the firemen
arrived.

put somethingtogether

assemble

I have to put the

crib togetherbefore the
baby arrives.

put up

tolerate

withsomeone/something

I don't think I can put up

withthree small children in
the car.

put something on

put

Don't forget toput on your

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

clothing/accesso

new earrings for the party.

ries on your
body

run

meet

I ran into an old school-

intosomeone/something

unexpectedly

friend at the mall.

run

drive a vehicle

I accidentallyran over your

oversomeone/something

over a person or

bicycle in the driveway.

thing

run

rehearse, review

over/throughsomething

Let's run
over/throughthese lines
one more time before the
show.

run away

run out

leave

The child ran away from

unexpectedly,

home and has been missing

escape

for three days.

have none left

We ran out of shampoo so

I had to wash my hair with

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

soap.

send something back

return (usually

My letter gotsent back to

by mail)

me because I used the

wrong stamp.

set something up

arrange,

Our boss set a

organize

meeting up with 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

I want to shop around a

little before I decide on
these boots.

show off

act extra special

He alwaysshows off on his

for people

skateboard

watching
(usually

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

boastfully)

sleep over

sort something out

stay somewhere

You should sleep

for the night

over tonight if the weather

(informal)

is too bad to drive home.

organize, resolve

We need to sortthe

a problem

bills outbefore the first of

the month.

stick to something

continue doing

You will lose weight if

something, limit

youstick to the diet.

yourself to one
particular thing

switch something off

switch something on

stop the energy

The light's too bright. Could

flow, turn off

youswitch it off.

start the energy

We heard the news as soon

flow, turn on

as we switched onthe car

radio.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

take after someone

resemble a

I take after my mother. We

family member

are both impatient.

purposely break

He took the car

into pieces

brakes apartand found the

take something apart

problem.

take something back

return an item

I have to takeour new

TV backbecause it doesn't
work.

take off

start to fly

My plane takes off in five

minutes.

take something off

remove

Take off your socks and

something

shoes and come in the lake!

(usually
clothing)

take something out

remove from a

Can you takethe

place or thing

garbage outto the street for

me?

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

take someone out

pay for someone

My

to go somewhere

grandparentstook us out for

with you

dinner and a movie.

rip into pieces

I tore up my ex-boyfriend's

tear something up

letters and gave them back

to him.

think back

think something over

remember (often

When I think back on my

+ to, sometimes

youth, I wish I had studied

+ on)

harder.

consider

I'll have to thinkthis job

offerover before I make my
final decision.

throw somethingaway

dispose of

We threw our old

furnitureaway when we
won the lottery.

turn something down

decrease the

Please turn the

volume or

TV down while the guests

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

strength (heat,

are here.

light etc)

turn something down

refuse

I turned the
jobdown because I don't
want to move.

turn something off

stop the energy

Your mother wants you

flow, switch off

toturn the TV offand come

for dinner.

turn something on

turn something up

start the energy,

It's too dark in here.

switch on

Let's turnsome lights on.

increase the

Can you turnthe music up?

volume or

This is my favourite song.

strength (heat,
light etc)

turn up

appear suddenly

Our cat turned up after we

put posters up all over the
neighbourhood.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

try something on

sample clothing

I'm going to trythese

jeans on, but I don't think
they will fit.

try something out

test

I am going to trythis new

brand of detergent out.

use something up

finish the supply

The kids used all of the

toothpasteup so we need to
buy some more.

wake up

stop sleeping

We have towake up early

for work on Monday.

warmsomeone/somethin

increase the

You can warmyour

gup

temperature

feet up in front of the

fireplace.

warm up

prepare body for

I always warm up by doing

exercise

sit-ups before I go for a run.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

wear off

fade away

Most of my make-up wore

off before I got to the party.

work out

exercise

I work out at the gym three

times a week.

work out

be successful

Our planworked outfine.

work something out

make a

We have towork out the

calculation

total cost before we buy the

house.