Phrasal Verbs List (EnglishClub)

200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and

example sentences

phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

ask invite on a date Brian asked

somebody Judy out to
out dinner and a
movie.

ask around ask many I asked around

people the same but nobody has
question seen my wallet.

add up to equal Your purchases

something add up to
$205.32.

back reverse You'll have to

something back up your
up car so that I
can get out.

back support My wife backed

somebody me up over my
up decision to quit
my job.

blow up explode The racing car

blew up after it
crashed into
the fence.

blow add air We have to

something blow 50
up balloons up for
the party.

break stop functioning Our car broke

down (vehicle, down at the
machine) side of the
highway in the
snowstorm.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

break get upset The woman

down broke down
when the police
told her that
her son had
died.

break divide into Our teacher

something smaller parts broke the final
down project down
into three
separate parts.

break in force entry to a Somebody

building broke in last
night and stole
our stereo.

break into enter forcibly The firemen

something had to break
into the room
to rescue the
children.

break wear something I need to break

something a few times so these shoes in
in that it doesn't before we run
look/feel new next week.

break in interrupt The TV station

broke in to
report the news
of the
president's
death.

break up end a My boyfriend

relationship and I broke up
before I moved
to America.

break up start laughing The kids just

(informal) broke up as
soon as the
clown started
talking.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

break out escape The prisoners

broke out of jail
when the
guards weren't
looking.

break out develop a skin I broke out in a

in condition rash after our
something camping trip.

bring make unhappy This sad music

somebody is bringing me
down down.

bring raise a child My

somebody grandparents
up brought me up
after my
parents died.

bring start talking My mother

something about a subject walks out of
up the room when
my father
brings up
sports.

bring vomit He drank so

something much that he
up brought his
dinner up in the
toilet.

call around phone many We called

different around but we
places/people weren't able to
find the car
part we
needed.

call return a phone I called the

somebody call company back
back but the offices
were closed for
the weekend.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

call cancel Jason called

something the wedding off
off because he
wasn't in love
with his fiancé.

call on ask for an The professor

somebody answer or called on me
opinion for question 1.

call on visit somebody We called on

somebody you last night
but you weren't
home.

call phone Give me your

somebody phone number
up and I will call
you up when
we are in town.

calm down relax after being You are still

angry mad. You need
to calm down
before you
drive the car.

not care not like (formal) I don't care for

for his behaviour.
somebody/
something

catch up get to the same You'll have to

point as run faster than
somebody else that if you want
to catch up
with Marty.

check in arrive and We will get the

register at a hotel keys
hotel or airport when we check
in.

check out leave a hotel You have to

check out of
the hotel before
11:00 AM.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

check look at carefully, The company

somebody/ investigate checks out all
something new
out employees.

check out look at Check out the

somebody/ (informal) crazy hair on
something that guy!

cheer up become happier She cheered up

when she heard
the good news.

cheer make happier I brought you

somebody some flowers
up to cheer you
up.

chip in help If everyone

chips in we can
get the kitchen
painted by
noon.

clean tidy, clean Please clean

something up your
up bedroom
before you go
outside.

come find I came across

across unexpectedly these old
something photos when I
was tidying the
closet.

come separate The top and

apart bottom come
apart if you pull
hard enough.

come become sick My nephew

down with came down
something with chicken
pox this
weekend.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

come volunteer for a The woman

forward task or to give came forward
evidence with her
husband's
finger prints.

come from originate in The art of

some origami comes
place from Asia.

count on rely on I am counting

somebody/ on you to make
something dinner while I
am out.

cross draw a line Please cross

something through out your old
out address and
write your new
one.

cut back consume less My doctor

on wants me to
something cut back on
sweets and
fatty foods.

cut make something We had to cut

something fall to the the old tree in
down ground our yard down
after the storm.

cut in interrupt Your father cut

in while I was
dancing with
your uncle.

cut in pull in too The bus driver

closely in front got angry when
of another that car cut in.
vehicle
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

cut in start operating The air

(of an engine or conditioner
electrical cuts in when
device) the
temperature
gets to 22°C.

cut remove with The doctors cut

something something off his leg
off sharp because it was
severely
injured.

cut stop providing The phone

something company cut
off off our phone
because we
didn't pay the
bill.

cut take out of a will My

somebody grandparents
off cut my father
off when he
remarried.

cut remove part of I cut this ad out

something something of the
out (usually with newspaper.
scissors and
paper)

do beat up, ransack He's lucky to be

somebody/ (BrE, informal) alive. His shop
something was done over
over by a street
gang.

do do again (AmE) My teacher

something wants me to do
over my essay over
because she
doesn't like my
topic.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

do away discard It's time to do

with away with all of
something these old tax
records.

do fasten, close Do your coat up

something before you go
up outside. It's
snowing!

dress up wear nice It's a fancy

clothing restaurant so
we have to
dress up.

drop back move back in a Andrea

position/group dropped back
to third place
when she fell
off her bike.

drop in/ come without an I might drop

by/ over appointment in/by/over for
tea sometime
this week.

drop take somebody/ I have to drop

somebody/ something my sister off at
something somewhere and work before I
off leave them/it come over.
there

drop out quit a class, I dropped out

school etc of Science
because it was
too difficult.

eat out eat at a I don't feel like

restaurant cooking
tonight. Let's
eat out.

end up eventually We ended up

reach/do/decide renting a movie
instead of
going to the
theatre.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

fall apart break into My new dress

pieces fell apart in the
washing
machine.

fall down fall to the The picture that

ground you hung up
last night fell
down this
morning.

fall out separate from The money

an interior must have
fallen out of my
pocket.

fall out (of hair, teeth) His hair started

become loose to fall out when
and unattached he was only 35.

figure understand, find I need to figure

something the answer out how to fit
out the piano and
the bookshelf
in this room.

fill to write Please fill in

something information in the form with
in blanks, as on a your name,
form (BrE) address, and
phone number.

fill to write The form must

something information in be filled out in
out blanks, as on a capital letters.
form (AmE)

fill fill to the top I always fill the

something water jug up
up when it is
empty.

find out discover We don't know

where he lives.
How can we
find out?
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

find discover We tried to

something keep the time
out of the party a
secret, but
Samantha
found it out.

get communicate, I tried to get my

something make point
across/ understandable across/over to
over the judge but
she wouldn't
listen.

get like each other I was surprised

along/on 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 to
get away for a
week.

get away do without being Jason always

with noticed or gets away with
something punished cheating in his
maths tests.

get back return We got back

from our
vacation last
week.

get receive Liz finally got

something something you her Science
back had before notes back
from my room-
mate.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

get back at retaliate, take My sister got

somebody revenge back at me for
stealing her
shoes. She
stole my
favourite hat.

get back become I finally got

into interested in back into my
something something again novel and
finished it.

get on step onto a We're going to

something vehicle freeze out here
if you don't let
us get on the
bus.

get over recover from an I just got over

something illness, loss, the flu and now
difficulty my sister has
it.

get over overcome a The company

something problem will have to
close if it can't
get over the
new
regulations.

get round finally find time I don't know

to to do (AmE: get when I am
something around to going to get
something) round to writing
the thank you
cards.

get meet (usually Let's get

together for social together for a
reasons) BBQ this
weekend.

get up get out of bed I got up early

today to study
for my exam.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

get up stand You should get

up and give the
elderly man
your seat.

give reveal hidden His wife gave

somebody information him away to
away about the police.
somebody

give take the bride to My father gave

somebody the altar me away at my
away wedding.

give ruin a secret My little sister

something gave the
away surprise party
away by
accident.

give give something The library was

something to somebody for giving away old
away free books on
Friday.

give return a I have to give

something borrowed item these skates
back back to Franz
before his
hockey game.

give in reluctantly stop My boyfriend

fighting or didn't want to
arguing go to the ballet,
but he finally
gave in.

give give to many They were

something people (usually giving out free
out at no cost) perfume
samples at the
department
store.

give quit a habit I am giving up

something smoking as of
up January 1st.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

give up stop trying My maths

homework was
too difficult so I
gave up.

go after follow My brother

somebody somebody tried to go after
the thief in his
car.

go after try to achieve I went after my

something something dream and now
I am a
published
writer.

go against compete, We are going

somebody oppose 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 I have to go

back home and
get my lunch.

go out leave home to We're going out

go on a social for dinner
event tonight.

go out with date Jesse has been

somebody going out with
Luke since they
met last winter.

go over review Please go over

something your answers
before you
submit your
test.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

go over visit somebody I haven't seen

nearby Tina for a long
time. I think I'll
go over for an
hour or two.

go without suffer lack or When I was

something deprivation young, we went
without winter
boots.

grow apart stop being My best friend

friends over and I grew
time apart after she
changed
schools.

grow back regrow My roses grew

back this
summer.

grow into grow big enough This bike is too

something to fit big for him
now, but he
should grow
into it by next
year.

grow out get too big for Elizabeth needs

of a new pair of
something shoes because
she has grown
out of her old
ones.

grow up become an adult When Jack

grows up he
wants to be a
fireman.

hand give something I handed my

something used to old comic
down somebody else books down to
my little cousin.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

hand submit I have to hand

something in my essay by
in Friday.

hand to distribute to a We will hand

something group of people out the
out invitations at
the door.

hand give (usually The police

something unwillingly) asked the man
over to hand over
his wallet and
his weapons.

hang in stay positive Hang in there.

(informal) I'm sure you'll
find a job very
soon.

hang on wait a short Hang on while I

time (informal) grab my coat
and shoes!

hang out spend time Instead of

relaxing going to the
(informal) 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.

hold prevent from I had to hold

somebody/ doing/going my dog back
something because there
back was a cat in the
park.

hold hide an emotion Jamie held

something back his tears
back at his
grandfather's
funeral.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

hold on wait a short Please hold on

time while I transfer
you to the
Sales
Department.

hold onto hold firmly using Hold onto your

somebody/ your hands or hat because it's
something arms very windy
outside.

hold rob A man in a

somebody/ black mask
something held the bank
up up this
morning.

keep on continue doing Keep on

doing stirring until the
something liquid comes to
a boil.

keep not tell We kept our

something relationship
from from our
somebody parents for two
years.

keep stop from Try to keep the

somebody/ entering wet dog out of
something the living room.
out

keep continue at the If you keep

something same rate those results
up up you will get
into a great
college.

let fail to support or I need you to

somebody help, disappoint be on time.
down Don't let me
down this time.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

let allow to enter Can you let the

somebody cat in before
in you go to
school?

log in (or sign in (to a I can't log in to

on) website, Facebook
database etc) because I've
forgotten my
password.

log out (or sign out (of a If you don't log

off) website, off somebody
database etc) could get into
your account.

look after take care of I have to look

somebody/ after my sick
something grandmother.

look down think less of, Ever since we

on consider inferior stole that
somebody chocolate bar
your dad has
looked down
on me.

look for try to find I'm looking for

somebody/ a red dress for
something the wedding.

look be excited about I'm looking

forward to the future forward to the
something Christmas
break.

look into investigate We are going to

something look into the
price of
snowboards
today.

look out be careful, Look out! That

vigilant, and car's going to
take notice hit you!
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

look out be especially Don't forget to

for vigilant for look out for
somebody/ snakes on the
something hiking trail.

look check, examine Can you look

something over my essay
over for spelling
mistakes?

look search and find We can look

something information in a her phone
up reference book number up on
or database the Internet.

look up to have a lot of My little sister

somebody respect for has always
looked up to
me.

make invent, lie about Josie made up

something something a story about
up why we were
late.

make up forgive each We were angry

other last night, but
we made up at
breakfast.

make apply cosmetics My sisters

somebody to made me up
up for my
graduation
party.

mix confuse two or I mixed up the

something more things twins' names
up again!

pass away die His uncle

passed away
last night after
a long illness.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

pass out faint It was so hot in

the church that
an elderly lady
passed out.

pass give the same The professor

something thing to many passed the
out people textbooks out
before class.

pass decline (usually I passed up the

something something job because I
up good) am afraid of
change.

pay return owed Thanks for

somebody money buying my
back ticket. I'll pay
you back on
Friday.

pay for be punished for That bully will

something doing pay for being
something bad mean to my
little brother.

pick choose I picked out

something three sweaters
out for you to try
on.

point indicate with I'll point my

somebody/ your finger boyfriend out
something when he runs
out by.

put put what you are You can put the

something holding on a groceries down
down surface or floor on the kitchen
counter.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

put insult, make The students

somebody somebody feel put the
down stupid substitute
teacher down
because his
pants were too
short.

put postpone We are putting

something off our trip until
off January
because of the
hurricane.

put extinguish The neighbours

something put the fire out
out before the
firemen arrived.

put assemble I have to put

something the crib
together together before
the baby
arrives.

put up with tolerate I don't think I

somebody/ can put up with
something three small
children in the
car.

put put clothing/ Don't forget to

something accessories on put on your
on your body new earrings
for the party.

run into meet I ran into an old

somebody/ unexpectedly school-friend at
something the mall.

run over drive a vehicle I accidentally

somebody/ over a person or ran over your
something thing bicycle in the
driveway.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

run over/ rehearse, review Let's run

through over/through
something these lines one
more time
before the
show.

run away leave The child ran

unexpectedly, away from
escape 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 return (usually My letter got

something by mail) sent back to
back me because I
used the wrong
stamp.

set arrange, Our boss set a

something organize meeting up
up with the
president of the
company.

set trick, trap The police set

somebody up the car thief
up by using a
hidden camera.

shop compare prices I want to shop

around around a little
before I decide
on these boots.

show off act extra special He always

for people shows off on
watching his skateboard
(usually
boastfully)
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

sleep over stay somewhere You should

for the night sleep over
(informal) tonight if the
weather is too
bad to drive
home.

sort organize, We need to

something resolve a sort the bills
out problem out before the
first of the
month.

stick to continue doing You will lose

something something, limit weight if you
yourself to one stick to the
particular thing diet.

switch stop the energy The light's too

something flow, turn off bright. Could
off you switch it
off.

switch start the energy We heard the

something flow, turn on news as soon
on as we switched
on the car
radio.

take after resemble a I take after my

somebody family member mother. We are
both impatient.

take purposely break He took the car

something into pieces brakes apart
apart and found the
problem.

take return an item I have to take

something our new TV
back back because it
doesn't work.

take off start to fly My plane takes

off in five
minutes.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

take remove Take off your

something something socks and
off (usually shoes and
clothing) come in the
lake!

take remove from a Can you take

something place or thing the garbage
out out to the
street for me?

take pay for My

somebody somebody to go grandparents
out somewhere with took us out for
you dinner and a
movie.

tear rip into pieces I tore up my ex-

something boyfriend's
up letters and
gave them
back to him.

think back remember When I think

(often + to, back on my
sometimes + youth, I wish I
on) had studied
harder.

think consider I'll have to think

something this job offer
over over before I
make my final
decision.

throw dispose of We threw our

something old furniture
away away when we
won the lottery.

turn decrease the Please turn the

something volume or TV down while
down strength (heat, the guests are
light etc) here.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

turn refuse I turned the job

something down because I
down don't want to
move.

turn stop the energy Your mother

something flow, switch off wants you to
off turn the TV off
and come for
dinner.

turn start the energy, It's too dark in

something switch on here. Let's turn
on some lights on.

turn increase the Can you turn

something volume or the music up?
up strength (heat, This is my
light etc) favourite song.

turn up appear suddenly Our cat turned

up after we put
posters up all
over the
neighbourhood.

try sample clothing I'm going to try

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

try test I am going to

something try this new
out brand of
detergent out.

use finish the supply The kids used

something all of the
up toothpaste up
so we need to
buy some
more.

wake up stop sleeping We have to

wake up early
for work on
Monday.
phrasal example
verb meaning sentence

warm increase the You can warm

somebody/ temperature your feet up in
something front of the
up fireplace.

warm up prepare body for I always warm

exercise up by doing sit-
ups before I go
for a run.

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 plan

worked out
fine.

work make a We have to

something calculation work out the
out total cost
before we buy
the house.