Phrasal verb list

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

You can also listen to this phrasal verbs song and try our phrasal verbs quiz.

Tip:

This list shows about 200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and examples. Only the most usual meanings are given. Some phrasal verbs may have additional meanings.

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 asked Judy outto dinner and a movie.
ask around		ask many people the same question	I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
add up to something		equal	Your purchases add up to $205.32.
back something up		reverse	You'll have to back upyour car so that I can get out.
back someone up		support	My wife backed me upover my decision to quit my job.
blow up		explode	The racing car blew upafter it crashed into the fence.
blow something up		add air	We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
break down		stop functioning (vehicle, machine)	Our 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 somethingdown		divide into smaller parts	Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.
break in		force entry to a building	Somebody broke inlast night and stole our stereo.
break into something		enter forcibly	The firemen had tobreak into the room to rescue the children.
break something in		wear something a few times so that it doesn't look/feel new	I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.
break in		interrupt	The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death.
break up		end a relationship	My boyfriend and Ibroke up before I moved to America.
break up		start laughing (informal)	The kids just broke upas soon as the clown started talking.
break out		escape	The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking.
break out insomething		develop a skin condition	I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
bring someone down		make unhappy	This sad music isbringing me down.
bring someone up		raise a child	My grandparentsbrought me up after my parents died.
bring something up		start talking about a subject	My mother walks out of the room when my father brings upsports.
bring something up		vomit	He drank so much that he brought his dinnerup in the toilet.
call around		phone many different places/people	We called around but we weren't able to find the car part we needed.
call someone back		return a phone call	I called the companyback but the offices were closed for the weekend.
call something off		cancel	Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love with his fiancé.
call on someone		ask for an answer or opinion	The professor called onme for question 1.
call on someone		visit someone	We called on you 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 angry	You are still mad. You need to calm downbefore you drive the car.
not care forsomeone/something		not like (formal)	I don't care for his behaviour.
catch up		get to the same point as someone else	You'll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.
check in		arrive and register at a hotel or airport	We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
check out		leave a hotel	You have to check outof the hotel before 11:00 AM.
checksomeone/somethingout		look at carefully, investigate	The company checks out all new employees.
check outsomeone/something		look at (informal)	Check 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	I brought you some flowers to cheer youup.
chip in		help	If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.
clean something up		tidy, clean	Please clean up your bedroom before you go outside.
come acrosssomething		find unexpectedly	I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.
come apart		separate	The top and bottomcome apart if you pull hard enough.
come down withsomething		become sick	My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.
come forward		volunteer for a task or to give evidence	The woman came forward with her husband's finger prints.
come fromsomewhere		originate in	The art of origamicomes from Asia.
count onsomeone/something		rely on	I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.
cross something out		draw a line through	Please cross out your old address and write your new one.
cut back onsomething		consume less	My doctor wants me tocut back on sweets and fatty foods.
cut something down		make something fall to the ground	We had to cut the old tree in our yard downafter the storm.
cut in		interrupt	Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.
cut in		pull in too closely in front of another vehicle	The bus driver got angry when that carcut in.
cut in		start operating (of an engine or electrical device)	The air conditionercuts in when the temperature gets to 22°C.
cut something off		remove with something sharp	The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.
cut something off		stop providing	The phone companycut off our phone because we didn't pay the bill.
cut someone off		take out of a will	My grandparents cutmy father off when he remarried.
cut something out		remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper)	I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
dosomeone/somethingover		beat up, ransack (BrE, informal)	He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.
do something over		do again (AmE)	My teacher wants me to do my 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 up before you go outside. It's snowing!
dress up		wear nice clothing	It's a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.
drop back		move back in a position/group	Andrea dropped backto third place when she fell off her bike.
drop in/by/over		come without an appointment	I might drop in/by/over for tea sometime this week.
dropsomeone/somethingoff		take someone/something somewhere and leave them/it there	I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.
drop out		quit a class, school etc	I dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.
eat out		eat at a restaurant	I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.
end up		eventually reach/do/decide	We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.
fall apart		break into pieces	My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.
fall down		fall to the ground	The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.
fall out		separate from an interior	The money must havefallen out of my pocket.
fall out		(of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached	His hair started to fall out when he was only 35.
figure something out		understand, find the answer	I need to figure outhow to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room.
fill something in		to write information in blanks, as on a form (BrE)	Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.
fill something out		to write information in blanks, as on a form (AmE)	The form must be filled out in capital letters.
fill something up		fill to the top	I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.
find out		discover	We don't know where he lives. How can wefind out?
find something out		discover	We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samanthafound it out.
get somethingacross/over		communicate, make understandable	I tried to get my pointacross/over to the judge but she wouldn't listen.
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 around fine 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		do without being noticed or punished	Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.
get back		return	We got back from our vacation last week.
get something back		receive something you had before	Liz finally got her Science notes backfrom my room-mate.
get back at someone		retaliate, take revenge	My sister got back atme for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
get back intosomething		become interested in something again	I finally got back intomy novel and finished it.
get on something		step onto a vehicle	We'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	I just 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 over the new regulations.
get round tosomething		finally find time to do (AmE: get around tosomething)	I don't know when I am going to get round towriting the thank you cards.
get together		meet (usually for social reasons)	Let's get together for a BBQ this weekend.
get up		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 information about someone	His wife gave himaway to the police.
give someone away		take the bride to the altar	My father gave meaway at my wedding.
give something away		ruin a secret	My little sister gavethe surprise partyaway by accident.
give something away		give something to someone for free	The library was giving away old books on Friday.
give something back		return a borrowed item	I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.
give in		reluctantly stop fighting or arguing	My boyfriend didn't want to go to the ballet, but he finallygave in.
give something out		give to many people (usually at no cost)	They were giving outfree perfume samples at the department store.
give something up		quit a habit	I am giving upsmoking as of January 1st.
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 something	I went after my dream and now I am a published writer.
go against someone		compete, oppose	We are going againstthe 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	I have to go backhome and get my lunch.
go out		leave home to go on a social event	We're going out for dinner tonight.
go out with someone		date	Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.
go over something		review	Please go over your answers before you submit your test.
go over		visit someone nearby	I haven't seen Tina for a long time. I think I'llgo over for an hour or two.
go without something		suffer lack or deprivation	When I was young, wewent without winter boots.
grow apart		stop being friends over time	My best friend and Igrew apart after she changed schools.
grow back		regrow	My roses grew backthis summer.
grow up		become an adult	When Jack grows uphe wants to be a fireman.
grow out ofsomething		get too big for	Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out ofher old ones.
grow into something		grow big enough to fit	This bike is too big for him now, but he shouldgrow into it by next year.
hand somethingdown		give something used to someone else	I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.
hand something in		submit	I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
hand something out		to distribute to a group of people	We will hand out the invitations at the door.
hand something over		give (usually unwillingly)	The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.
hang in		stay positive (informal)	Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find a job very soon.
hang on		wait a short time (informal)	Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!
hang out		spend time relaxing (informal)	Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.
hang up		end a phone call	He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.
holdsomeone/somethingback		prevent from doing/going	I had to hold my dogback because there was a cat in the park.
hold something back		hide an emotion	Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather's funeral.
hold on		wait a short time	Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.
hold ontosomeone/something		hold firmly using your hands or arms	Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside.
holdsomeone/somethingup		rob	A man in a black maskheld the bank up this morning.
keep on doingsomething		continue doing	Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
keep something fromsomeone		not tell	We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.
keepsomeone/somethingout		stop from entering	Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.
keep something up		continue at the same rate	If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.
let someone down		fail to support or help, disappoint	I need you to be on time. Don't let medown this time.
let someone in		allow to enter	Can you let the cat inbefore you go to school?
log in (or on)		sign in (to a website, database etc)	I can't log in to Facebook because I've forgotten my password.
log out (or off)		sign out (of a website, database etc)	If you don't log offsomebody could get into your account.
look aftersomeone/something		take care of	I have to look aftermy sick grandmother.
look down onsomeone		think less of, consider inferior	Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
look forsomeone/something		try to find	I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.
look forward tosomething		be excited about the future	I'm looking forward tothe Christmas break.
look into something		investigate	We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.
look out		be careful, vigilant, and take notice	Look out! That car's going to hit you!
look out forsomeone/something		be especially vigilant for	Don't forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.
look something over		check, examine	Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?
look something up		search and find information in a reference book or database	We can look her phone number up on the Internet.
look up to someone		have a lot of respect for	My little sister has always looked up to me.
make something up		invent, lie about something	Josie made up a story about why we were late.
make up		forgive each other	We were angry last night, but we made upat breakfast.
make someone up		apply cosmetics to	My sisters made meup for my graduation party.
mix something up		confuse two or more things	I mixed up the twins' names again!
pass away		die	His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pass out		faint	It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.
pass something out		give the same thing to many people	The professor passedthe textbooks outbefore class.
pass something up		decline (usually something good)	I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.
pay someone back		return owed money	Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll pay youback on Friday.
pay for something		be punished for doing something bad	That bully will pay forbeing mean to my little brother.
pick something out		choose	I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
pointsomeone/somethingout		indicate with your finger	I'll point my boyfriendout when he runs by.
put something down		put what you are holding on a surface or floor	You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.
put someone down		insult, make someone feel stupid	The students put the substitute teacherdown because 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 neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.
put somethingtogether		assemble	I have to put the cribtogether before the baby arrives.
put up withsomeone/something		tolerate	I don't think I can put up with three small children in the car.
put something on		put clothing/accessories on your body	Don't forget to put onyour new earrings for the party.
run intosomeone/something		meet unexpectedly	I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
run oversomeone/something		drive a vehicle over a person or thing	I accidentally ran overyour bicycle in the driveway.
run over/throughsomething		rehearse, review	Let's run over/through these lines one more time before the show.
run away		leave unexpectedly, escape	The child ran awayfrom home and has been missing for three days.
run out		have none left	We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.
send something back		return (usually by mail)	My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.
set something up		arrange, organize	Our boss set a meetingup 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 arounda little before I decide on these boots.
show off		act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully)	He always shows offon his skateboard
sleep over		stay somewhere for the night (informal)	You should sleep overtonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.
sort something out		organize, resolve a problem	We need to sort the bills out before the first of the month.
stick to something		continue doing something, limit yourself to one particular thing	You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.
switch something off		stop the energy flow, turn off	The light's too bright. Could you switch itoff.
switch something on		start the energy flow, turn on	We heard the news as soon as we switched on the car radio.
take after someone		resemble a family member	I take after my mother. We are both impatient.
take something apart		purposely break into pieces	He took the car brakesapart and found the problem.
take something back		return an item	I have to take our new TV back because it doesn't work.
take off		start to fly	My plane takes off in five minutes.
take something off		remove something (usually clothing)	Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!
take something out		remove from a place or thing	Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?
take someone out		pay for someone to go somewhere with you	My grandparents tookus out for dinner and a movie.
tear something up		rip into pieces	I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and gave them back to him.
think back		remember (often + to, sometimes + on)	When I think back on my youth, I wish I had studied harder.
think something over		consider	I'll have to think this job offer over before I make my final decision.
throw somethingaway		dispose of	We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.
turn something down		decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc)	Please turn the TVdown while the guests are here.
turn something down		refuse	I turned the job downbecause I don't want to move.
turn something off		stop the energy flow, switch off	Your mother wants you to turn the TV off and come for dinner.
turn something on		start the energy, switch on	It's too dark in here. Let's turn some lightson.
turn something up		increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc)	Can you turn the musicup? This is my favourite song.
turn up		appear suddenly	Our cat turned upafter we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.
try something on		sample clothing	I'm going to try these jeans on, but I don't think they will fit.
try something out		test	I am going to try this new brand of detergentout.
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	We have to wake upearly for work on Monday.
warmsomeone/somethingup		increase the temperature	You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.
warm up		prepare body for exercise	I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.
wear off		fade away	Most of my make-upwore 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 plan worked outfine.
work something out		make a calculation	We have to work outthe total cost before we buy the house.

See also our pages with 1000+ Phrasal Verbs, with definitions, synonyms, explanations, sample sentences, collocations and quizzes.