An Extensive List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

To respect or obey a If you want to keep your job here, you

abide by
decision, a law or a rule must abide by our rules.

I hope you can account for the time

account for To explain, give a reason
you were out!

To make sense, seem

add up The facts in the case just don’t add up.
reasonable

To recommend not doing I advise against walking alone in this

advise against
something neighborhood.

To have the same opinion I agree with you. I think you should go
agree with
as someone else. as well.

We need to allow for unexpected

allow for To take into consideration
charges along the way.

1. He appealed to the court to change its

1. To plead or make a request
decision.
appeal to 2. To be attractive or
2. A vacation of sunbathing doesn’t appeal
interesting
to me.

To make a formal request

He applied for a scholarship for next
apply for for something (job, permit,
semester.
loan etc.)

To move backwards, in fear When he saw the bear, he backed

back away
or dislike away in fright.

To withdraw, concede Local authorities backed down on their

back down
defeat threats to build on that part of the beach.

1. To give support or 1. I’m going to be very strict with him. I

encouragement hope you’ll back me up on this?
back up 2. To make a copy of (file, 2. You should back up all your computer
program, etc.) files in a secure location.

To base your hopes on I’m banking on you to help with the

bank on
something / someone charity event.

Jenna fell in the parking lot and blacked

black out To faint, lose consciousness
out.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

The police blocked off the street after

block off To separate using a barrier.
the explosion.

1. To explode 1. Tommy blew up the red balloon.

blow up 2. To get angry 2. Don’t blow up at me. It’s not my fault.

It all boils down to who has more

boil down to To be summarized as
power.

To start a computer by
You need to boot up your computer
boot up loading an operating system
before you begin to work.
or program

One of the wolves broke away from his

break away To separate from a crowd
pack.

1. To go out of order, cease to 1. The washing machine broke down so we

function had to call in the repair technician.
break down 2. To lose control of one’s 2. John broke down when he heard the
emotions news.

break into To enter by force Burglars broke into my car last night.

Rioting broke out after the government

break out To start suddenly
raised the fuel prices again.

To escape from a place by

break out of Several prisoners broke out of jail.
force

To come to an end She broke up with Daniel after dating

break up
(marriage, relationship) him for five years.

Sara is bringing up her children by

bring up To raise (a child)
herself.

To improve, refresh one’s I must brush up on my French before

brush up on
knowledge of something going to Paris next month.

To meet by chance or I bumped into Adam at the bank. He

bump into
unexpectedly says “hello”.

1. The light bulb burnt out. Please change

1. stop (something) working
it.
burn out 2. become exhausted from
2. She needs to work fewer hours.
over-working
Otherwise she will burn out.

call back To return a phone call Could please call back in ten minutes?
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

The game was called off because of bad

call off To cancel
weather.

To become more relaxed, It took Kylie several hours to calm

calm down
less angry or upset down after she saw the accident.

The soldiers carried on walking in

carry on To continue
order to get to their post before dark.

1. To do something as
specified (a plan, an order, 1. His orders were carried out to the letter.
carry out a threat) 2. That company does not carry out tests
2. To perform or conduct on animals.
(test, experiment)

To register at a hotel or They said I must check in at least three

check in
airport hours before my flight.

1. Donna checked out of the hotel this

1. To pay one’s bill and leave
morning.
check out (a hotel)
2. I don’t know if this price is correct.
2. To investigate
I’ll check it out online.

When the police started asking

clam up To refuse to speak
questions, the suspect clammed up.

The local authorities have decided

To act strictly to prevent
clamp down on to clamp down on illegal parking in
something
handicapped parking places.

1. I was cleaning up and came across some

1. To find by chance
old photos of you.
come across 2. To appear, seem, make an
2. The politician came across as a complete
impression
fool during the TV interview.

Has the owner of the winning lotto

come forward To present oneself
ticket come forward?

To rely or depend on (for You can count on me to keep your

count on
help) secret.

I’ve decided to cut down on the amount

cut down on To reduce in number or size
of sweets I eat.

1. She cut out a coupon from the

1. To remove using scissors newspaper.
cut out 2. To stop doing something 2. You need to cut out all red meat from
your diet.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

To handle, take care of Catherine is not good at dealing

deal with
(problem, situation) with stress.

To calm down, become less After the storm died down, we went
die down
strong outside to see the damage it had caused.

She didn’t get a salary this month, so

do without To manage without
she’ll have to do without extra treats.

To last longer than The suspect’s trial dragged on longer

drag on
expected than we had expected!

To write (contract, They drew up a contract and had me

draw up
agreement, document) sign it.

Their wedding gave us a chance

dress up wear elegant clothes
to dress up and get out of the house.

To visit, usually on the way Why don’t you drop in to see us on

drop in
somewhere your way home?

1. To deliver someone or
1. I’ll drop off the papers later today.
drop off something
2. I often drop off in front of the TV.
2. To fall asleep

To leave school without Zack dropped out of college and joined

drop out
finishing the army.

To reduce, become less

ease off severe or slow down (pain, Traffic usually eases off about 7pm
traffic, work)

To finish in a certain way;

end in Her marriage ended in divorce.
result in

To finally reach a state, If you don’t improve your work habits,

end up
place or action you’ll end up being fired.

His plans to trek through South

fall through To fail; doesn’t happen
America fell through when he got sick.

He’s trying to figure out how to earn

To understand, find the
figure out enough money to go on the trip to
answer
Spain.

fill out To complete (a form/an Please fill out the enclosed form and
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

application) return it as soon as possible.

To discover or obtain I’m going to to find out who’s

find out
information responsible for the power cut.

To concentrate on Tom had difficultty focusing on work

focus on
something the day before his holiday started.

get along To be on good terms; work It’s important to get along with your
(with) well with team supervisor.

What are you getting at? Do you think

get at To imply
I’m to blame?

I think we should get away for the

get away To escape
weekend.

To manage to cope or to Students without jobs have a hard

get by
survive time getting by.

get in To enter When did you get in last night?

get into How did you get into your car without
To enter
(+noun) the keys?

1. You should get off the train in Kings

1. To leave (bus, train, plane)
get off 2. To remove
Heath.
2. I can’t get the ink stain off my shirt.

I’m trying to get on the flight to

get on To board (bus, train, plane)
Brussels.

get on with To continue to do; make After they split up, she had a hard
(something) progress time getting on with her life.

get on (well)
To have a good relationship He doesnt get on very well with the
with
with other members of the committee.
(somebody)

He had a hard time getting out of

get out To leave
Newark because of the snow?

Edna’s trying to get out of working the

get out of To avoid doing something
night shift.

get over To recover from (illness, Has she gotten over the flu?
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

disappointment)

To recover from (illness, Mary had the chickenpox last week but
get over
disappointment) she got over it.

Please get rid of that old t-shirt. It’s so

get rid of To eliminate
ragged.

Let’s get together for your birthday on

get together To meet each other
Saturday.

Will you please get up? You’ve got a

get up To rise, leave bed
class in 20 minutes.

1. We will never give in to the terrorists’

1. To cease opposition; yield
give in 2. To To hand in; submit
demands.
2. I’ll give in my paper tomorrow.

give up To stop doing something Morris gave up drinking 10 years ago.

Andy went through a lot of pain after

go through To experience
his mother died.

To spend one’s childhood; He’s like Peter Pan. He never

grow up
develop; become an adult really grew up at all.

To submit (report, Please hand in your papers before

hand in
homework) Friday.

Susan volunteered at the shelter where

hand out To distribute
she handed out warm clothes.

To spend time in a
Which pub does the team hang out at
hang out particular place or with a
after the game?
group of friends

To end a phone If you hang up now, I’ll never speak to

hang up
conversation you again.

1. Please hold on and a representative will

1. To wait answer your call.
hold on 2. To grip tightly 2. She was so scared on the rollercoaster
ride that she held on for dear life.

Hurry up and finish your lunch or we’ll

hurry up To be quick, act speedily
miss the train.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

To resolve by discussion, The two countries met at the conference

iron out
eliminate differences to iron out their differences.

Yes David, you can join in the

join in To participate
discussion any time you like.

1. There was a war on, so some kids were

1. To engage in, become a
only sixteen when they joined up.
join up member of
2. Let’s separate now and join up later at
2. To meet and unite with
the restaurant.

To continue doing If you keep on making that noise I will

keep on
something get annoyed.

To stay at the same level as I read the paper every day to keep up
keep up with
someone or something with the news.

The rugby match kicked off at 3

kick off To begin, start
o’clock.

Please check your form again and make

leave out To omit, not mention
sure nothing is left out.

I feel so let down because they

let down To disappoint promised me a puppy but all I got was a
doll.

Andy can you look after your sister

look after To take care of
until I get back?

She’s such a snob. She always looks

look down on To consider as inferior
down on anyone who is poor.

To be a spectator at an If you don’t want to take part in the

look on
event game you can look on for now.

Harry went to the shop to look for a

look for To try to find something
new computer.

look forward To await or anticipate with I’m looking forward to my birthday.

to pleasure It’s in two days time.

I always looked up to my father. He

look up to To admire
was a great man.

make fun of To laugh at/ make jokes It’s not nice to make fun of people in
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

about wheelchairs.

That’s a good excuse. Did you make

make up To invent (excuse, story)
up it up yourself?

To mistake one thing or She had so many cats that she

mix up
person for another kept mixing up their names.

To arrive in a new home or Did you hear? Our new neighbors

move in
office are moving in this afternoon.

To leave your home/office When are you moving out? We need

move out
for another one. your office for the new guy.

You were so tired after the game that

nod off To fall asleep
you nodded off on the couch.

To admit or confess Come on. Own up. We know you did

own up
something it!

Your grandfather passed

pass away To die
away peacefully in his sleep last night.

He didn’t drink enough water so

pass out To faint
he passed out at the end of the race.

I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the

pay back To reimburse
loan.

To postpone, arrange a later Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you
put off
date can do today.

It’s very dark in here. Please put on the

put on To turn on, switch on
light on.

The fire fighters were able to put

put out To extinguish
out fire in ten minutes.

To accommodate, give I can put you up until the weekend but

put up
somebody a bed then I’m going away.

I’ll pick you up at around 7:00 to take

pick up To collect somebody
you to the airport.

To indicate/direct attention As I already pointed out, there was a

point out
to something mistake in your calculation.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

To count on, depend on, You can rely on me. I always arrive on
rely on
trust time.

Since he had a sound alibi, the

rule out To eliminate
police ruled him out as a suspect.

To escape from a place or He ran away from home and joined the
run away
suddenly leave circus.

To meet by accident or
I’m so glad I ran into you. I need to ask
run into unexpectedly (also: bump
you something.
into)

To have no more of We’ve run out of milk. I’ll just pop

run out of
something. next door to borrow some.

Let’s set off early to miss the rush hour

set off To start a journey;
traffic.

They set up their own company when

set up To start a business
they were still in high school.

Don’t buy that. Let’s shop around and

shop around To compare prices
see if we can find something cheaper.

To brag or want to be He’s such a show off. He has to tell

show off
admired everybody about his new computer.

I don’t think she’ll show up tonight.

show up To appear/arrive
Her daughter is sick.

shut up
To be silent, stop talking Shut up, you’re spoiling the movie!
(impolite)

I think you should sit down. It’s bad

sit down To take a seat
news.

To rise from a sitting The whole stadium stood up for the

stand up
position national anthem.

My big brother always stuck up for me

stick up for To defend
when I got into a fight.

To resemble, in appearance Angie really takes after her

take after
or character grandmother.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

Please take care of my cat when I’m

take care of To look after
away.

The plane will take off as soon as the

take off To leave the ground
fog lifts.

I hear they’re taking on extra staff for

take on To hire or engage staff
this event.

Please take out your mobile phones and

take out To remove; extract
turn them off.

To reprimand/criticize The coach told her off for not trying

tell off
severely hard enough.

Take your time and think it over before

think over To consider
you decide.

To wear something to see if

try on Go ahead, try it on and see if it fits?
it suits or fits

I asked her out but

turn down To refuse
she turned me down flat.

To finish a product (so that

use up Your parents used up all the coffee!
there’s none left)

watch out To be careful Watch out! There’s a dog in the road.

1. Julie wore out her shoes running the

1. To become unusable
wear out 2. To become very tired
marathons.
2. Julie was worn out after all that running.

1. You should work out twice a week at the

1. To do physical exercise
gym.
work out 2. To find a solution or
2. Can you work this out? I’m no good at
calculate something
math.

wipe off To clean (board, table). I’ll wash up if you wipe off the table.