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 examples 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 need to learn how to use

phrasal verbs.

Verb Meaning Example

ask someone out invite on a Brian asked Judy out to

 date dinner and a movie.

ask around ask many I asked around but

people the nobody has seen my
same question 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 Our car broke down at

functioning the side of the highway
(vehicle, in the snowstorm.
machine)

break down get upset The woman broke

downwhen the police
told her that her son had
died.

break somethingdow divide into Our teacher broke the

n smaller parts final project down into
three separate parts.
break in force entry to Somebody broke in last
a building 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 I need to break these

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

break in interrupt The TV station broke

into report the news of
the president's death.

break up end a My boyfriend and

 relationship I broke up before I
moved to America.

break up start laughing The kids just broke

(informal) up as soon as the clown
started talking.

break out escape The prisoners broke

outof jail when the
guards weren't looking.

break out develop a skin I broke out in a rash

insomething condition after our camping trip.

bring someone down make unhappy This sad music

is bringingme down.

bring someone up raise a child My

grandparents broughtm
 e up after my parents
died.

bring something up start talking My mother walks out of

about a the room when my
subject fatherbrings up sports.

bring something up vomit He drank so much that

hebrought his
dinner up in the toilet.

call around phone many We called around but

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

call someone back return a phone I called the

call companyback but the
offices were closed for
the weekend.
call something off cancel Jason called the
weddingoff because he
wasn't in love with his
fiancé.

call on someone ask for an The professor called

answer or onme for question 1.
opinion

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 call youup when we
are in town.

calm down relax after You are still mad. You

 being angry need to calm
downbefore you drive
the car.

not care not like I don't care for his

forsomeone/somethin (formal) behaviour.
g

catch up get to You'll have to run faster

the same than that if you want
point as tocatch up with Marty.
someone else

check in arrive and We will get the hotel

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

check out leave a hotel You have to check

 out of the hotel before
11:00 AM.

checksomeone/somet look at The company checks

hingout carefully, outall new employees.
investigate

check look at Check out the crazy hair

outsomeone/somethin (informal) on that guy!
g

cheer up become She cheered up when

happier she heard the good
news.

cheer someone up make happier I brought you some

flowers to cheer you up.

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 find I came across these old

acrosssomething 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 My nephew came down

withsomething with chicken pox this
weekend.
come forward volunteer for a The woman came
task or to give forward with her
evidence husband's finger prints.

come originate in The art of origami comes

fromsomewhere from Asia.

count rely on I am counting on you to

onsomeone/something make dinner while I am
out.

cross something out draw a line Please cross out your

through old address and write
yournew one.

cut back onsomething consume less My doctor wants me

tocut back on sweets
and fatty foods.
cut something down make We had to cut the old
something fall tree in our
to the ground 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 got angry

closely in front when that car cut in.
of another
vehicle

cut in start operating The air conditioner cuts

(of an engine in when the temperature
or electrical gets to 22°C.
device)
cut something off remove with The doctors cut off his
something leg because it was
sharp severely injured.

cut something off stop providing The phone company cut

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

cut someone off take out of a My grandparents cut my

will father off when he
remarried.

cut something out remove part of I cut this ad out of the

something newspaper.
(usually with
scissors and
paper)

dosomeone/something beat up, He's lucky to be alive. His

over ransack (Br.E., shop was done over by
informal) a street gang.

do something over do again My teacher wants me

(N.Amer.) todo my
essay overbecause she
doesn't like my topic.

do away discard It's time to do away

withsomething withall 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 It's a fancy restaurant so

clothing we have to dress up.
drop back move back in Andrea dropped back to
a third place when she fell
position/group off her bike.

drop in/by/over come without I might drop

an in/by/overfor tea
appointment sometime this week.

dropsomeone/somethi take I have to drop my

ngoff someone/som sisteroff at work before I
ething come over.
somewhere
and leave
them/it there

drop out quit a class, I dropped out of

school etc Science because it was
too difficult.
eat out eat at a I don't feel like cooking
restaurant tonight. Let's eat out.

end up eventually We ended up renting a

reach/do/decid movie instead of going to
e the theatre.

fall apart break into My new dress fell

pieces apart in the washing
machine.

fall down fall to the The picture that you

ground hung up last night fell
downthis morning.

fall out separate from The money must

an interior havefallen out of my
pocket.

fall out (of hair, teeth) His hair started to fall

 become loose outwhen he was only 35.
and
unattached

figure something out understand, I need to figure out how

find the to fit the piano and the
answer bookshelf in this room.

fill something in to write Please fill in the form

information in with your name, address,
blanks (Br.E.) and phone number.

fill something out to write The form must be filled

information in out in capital letters.
blanks
(N.Amer.)

fill something up fill to the top I always fill the water

jugup when 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
Samantha found it out.

get somethingacross/ communicate, I tried to get my

over make pointacross/over to the
understandabl judge but she wouldn't
e 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 We worked so hard this

vacation year that we had to get
away for a week.

get away do without Jason always gets away

withsomething being noticed with cheating in his
or punished maths tests.

get back return We got back from our

vacation last week.

get something back receive Liz finally got her

something you Science notes back from
had before my room-mate.

get back at someone retaliate, take My sister got back

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

get back become I finally got back

intosomething interested in into my novel and
something finished it.
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 I just got over the flu
an illness, and now my sister has it.
loss, difficulty

get over something overcome a The company will have to

problem close if it can't get
overthe new regulations.

get round finally find I don't know when I am

tosomething time to do going to get round
(N.Amer.: get towriting the thank you
around cards.
tosomething)

get together meet (usually Let's get together for a

for social BBQ this weekend.
reasons)

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 His

information wife gave him awayto
about the police.
 someone

give someone away take the bride My

to the altar father gave me awayat
my wedding.

give something away ruin a secret My little sister gave the

surprise party away by
accident.

give something away give The library was giving

something to away old books on
someone for Friday.
free

give something back return a I have to give these

borrowed item skates back to Franz
before his hockey game.

give in reluctantly My boyfriend didn't want

 stop fighting to go to the ballet, but he
or arguing finally gave in.

give something out give to many They were giving

people outfree perfume samples
(usually at no at the department store.
cost)

give something up quit a habit I am giving up smoking

as of January 1st.

give up stop trying My maths homework was

too difficult so I gave
up.

go after someone follow My brother tried to go

someone after the thief in his car.

go after something try to achieve I went after my dream

something and now I am a
 published writer.

go against someone compete, We are going

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 I have to go back home

place and get my lunch.

go out leave home to We're going out for

go on a social dinner tonight.
event

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 I haven't seen Tina for a

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

go withoutsomething suffer lack or When I was young,

deprivation wewent without winter
boots.

grow apart stop being My best friend and

friends over I grew apart after she
time changed schools.

grow back regrow My roses grew back this

summer.

grow up become an When Jack grows up he

 adult wants to be a fireman.

grow out get too big for Elizabeth needs a new

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

grow into something grow big This bike is too big for
enough to fit him now, but he
should grow into it by
next year.

hand somethingdown give I handed my old comic

something books down to my little
used to cousin.
someone else

hand something in submit I have to hand in my

essay by Friday.
hand something out to distribute to We will hand out the
a group of invitations at the door.
people

hand something over give (usually The police asked the man
unwillingly) to hand over his wallet
and his weapons.

hang in stay positive Hang in there. I'm sure

(N.Amer., you'll find a job very
informal) soon.

hang on wait a short Hang on while I grab my

time coat and shoes!
(informal)

hang out spend time Instead of going to the

relaxing party we are just going
(informal) tohang out at my place.
hang up end a phone He didn't say goodbye
call before he hung up.

holdsomeone/somethi prevent from I had to hold my

ngback doing/going dogback because there
was a cat in the park.

hold something back hide an Jamie held back his

emotion tears at his grandfather's
funeral.

hold on wait a short Please hold on while I

time transfer you to the Sales
Department.

hold hold firmly Hold onto your hat

ontosomeone/somethi using your because it's very windy
ng hands or arms outside.

holdsomeone/somethi rob A man in a black

ngup maskheld the
bank up this morning.

keep on continue doing Keep on stirring until the

doingsomething liquid comes to a boil.

keep something from not tell We kept our

someone relationshipfrom our
parents for two years.

keepsomeone/somethi stop from Try to keep the wet

ngout entering dogout of the living
room.

keep something up continue at If you keep those

the same rate resultsup you will get
into a great college.

let someone down fail to support I need you to be on time.

or help, Don't let me down this
 disappoint 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 I can't log in to

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

log out (or off) sign out (of a If you don't log
website, offsomebody could get
database etc) into your account.

look take care of I have to look after my

aftersomeone/somethi sick grandmother.
ng

look down think less of, Ever since we stole that

onsomeone consider chocolate bar your dad
 inferior has looked down
on me.

look try to find I'm looking for a red

forsomeone/somethin dress for the wedding.
g

look forward be excited I'm looking forward

tosomething about the tothe Christmas break.
future

look into something investigate We are going to look

intothe price of
snowboards today.

look out be careful, Look out! That car's

vigilant, and going to hit you!
take notice

look out be especially Don't forget to look out

forsomeone/somethin vigilant for for snakes on the hiking
g trail.

look something over check, Can you look over my

examine essay for spelling
mistakes?

look something up search and We can look her phone

find number up on the
information in Internet.
a reference
book or
database

look up to someone have a lot of My little sister has

respect for alwayslooked up to me.

make something up invent, lie Josie made up a story

about about why we were late.
 something

make up forgive each We were angry last night,

other but we made up at
breakfast.

make someone up apply My

cosmetics to sisters made me upfor
my graduation party.

mix something up confuse two or I mixed up the twins'

more things names again!

pass away die His uncle passed

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

pass something up decline I passed up the job

(usually because I am afraid of
something change.
good)

pay someone back return owed Thanks for buying my

money ticket.
I'll pay you backon
Friday.

pay for something be punished That bully will pay

for doing forbeing mean to my
something bad little brother.
pick something out choose I picked out three
sweaters for you to try
on.

pointsomeone/someth indicate with I'll point my

ingout your finger boyfriendout when he
runs by.

put something down put what you You can put the
are holding on groceriesdown on the
a surface or kitchen counter.
floor

put someone down insult, make The students put the

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 neighbours put the

fire out before the
firemen arrived.

put somethingtogeth assemble I have to put the

er cribtogether before the
baby arrives.

put up tolerate I don't think I can put

withsomeone/somethi up with three small
ng children in the car.

put something on put Don't forget to put

clothing/acces onyour new earrings for
sories on your the party.
body
run meet I ran into an old school-
intosomeone/somethi unexpectedly friend at the mall.
ng

run drive a vehicle I accidentally ran

oversomeone/somethi over a person overyour bicycle in the
ng or thing driveway.

run rehearse, Let's run

over/throughsomethi review over/throughthese
ng lines one more time
before the show.

run away leave The child ran away from

unexpectedly, home and has been
escape 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 My letter got sent

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

set something up arrange, Our boss set a

organize 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 I want to shop around a

prices little before I decide on
these boots.

show off act extra He always shows off on

 special for his skateboard
people
watching
(usually
boastfully)

sleep over stay You should sleep

somewhere for overtonight if the
the night weather is too bad to
(informal) drive home.

sort something out organize, We need to sort the

resolve a billsout before the first of
problem the month.

stick to something continue doing You will lose weight if

something, youstick to the diet.
limit yourself
to one
 particular
thing

switch something off stop the The light's too bright.

energy flow, Could you switch it off.
turn off

switch something on start the We heard the news as

energy flow, soon as we switched
turn on onthe car radio.

take after someone resemble a I take after my mother.

family We are both impatient.
member

take something apart purposely He took the car

break into brakesapart and found
pieces the problem.

take something back return an item I have to take our new

 TVback because 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
(usually lake!
clothing)

take something out remove from a Can you take the

place or thing garbageout to the street
for me?

take someone out pay for My

someone to go grandparents took usout
somewhere for dinner and a movie.
with you
tear something up rip into pieces I tore up my ex-
boyfriend's letters and
gave them back to him.

think back remember When I think back on

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

think something over consider I'll have to think this job

offer over before I make
my final decision.

throw somethingawa dispose of We threw our old

y furniture away when we
won the lottery.

turn something down decrease the Please turn the

volume or TV downwhile the guests
 strength are here.
(heat, light
etc)

turn something down refuse I turned the

job downbecause I don't
want to move.

turn something off stop the Your mother wants you

energy flow, toturn the TV off and
switch off come for dinner.

turn something on start the It's too dark in here.

energy, switch Let'sturn some lights on.
on

turn something up increase the Can you turn the

volume or musicup? This is my
strength favourite song.
 (heat, light
etc)

turn up appear Our cat turned up after

suddenly we put posters up all
over the neighbourhood.

try something on sample I'm going to try these

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

try something out test I am going to try this

new brand of
detergent out.

use something up finish the The kids used all of the

supply toothpaste up so we
need to buy some more.

wake up stop sleeping We have to wake

 upearly for work on
Monday.

warmsomeone/somet increase the You can warm your

hingup temperature feetup in front of the
fireplace.

warm up prepare body I always warm up by

for exercise 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

outfine.
work something out make a We have to work
calculation out the total cost before
we buy the house.

Br.E.: British English; N.Amer.: North American