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 properly. Some phrasal verbs require a direct object (someone/something), while others do not. Some phrasal verbs can be separated by the object, while others cannot. Review this phrasal verbs grammar from time to time so that you don't forget the rules!
| Verb | Meaning | Example | |
| ask someone out | invite on a date | Brian asked Judy out to 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 up your car so that I can get out. | |
| back someone up | support | My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job. | |
| blow up | explode | The racing car blew up after 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 something down | divide into smaller parts | Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts. | |
| break in | force entry to a building | Somebody broke in last 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 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 I broke up before I moved to America. | |
| break up | start laughing (informal) | The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking. | |
| break out | escape | The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking. | |
| break out in something | develop a skin condition | I broke out in a rash after our camping trip. | |
| bring someone down | make unhappy | This sad music is bringing me down. | |
| bring someone up | raise a child | My grandparents brought 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 up sports. | |
| bring something up | vomit | He drank so much that he brought his dinner up 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 company back 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 on me 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 call you up when we are in town. | |
| calm down | relax after being angry | You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car. | |
| not care for someone/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 out of the hotel before 11:00 AM. | |
| check someone/something out | look at carefully, investigate | The company checks out all new employees. | |
| check out someone/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 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 across something | find unexpectedly | I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet. | |
| come apart | separate | The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough. | |
| come down with something | 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 from somewhere | originate in | The art of origami comes from Asia. | |
| count on someone/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 on something | consume less | My doctor wants me to cut 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 down after 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 car cut in. | |
| cut in | start operating (of an engine or electrical device) | The air conditioner cuts 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 company cut off our phone because we didn't pay the bill. | |
| cut someone off | take out of a will | My grandparents cut my 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. | |
| do someone/something over | beat up, ransack (Br.E., informal) | He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang. | |
| do something over | do again (N.Amer.) | My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn't like my topic. | |
| do away with something | 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 back to 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. | |
| drop someone/something off | 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 have fallen 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 out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room. | |
| fill something in | to write information in blanks (Br.E.) | Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number. | |
| fill something out | to write information in blanks (N.Amer.) | 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 we find out? | |
| find something out | discover | We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found it out. | |
| get something across/over | communicate, make understandable | I tried to get my point across/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 to get away for a week. | |
| get away with something | 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 back from my room-mate. | |
| get back at someone | retaliate, take revenge | My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat. | |
| get back into something | become interested in something again | I finally got back into my 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 to something | finally find time to do (N.Amer.: get around to something) | I don't know when I am going to get round to writing 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 him away to the police. | |
| give someone away | take the bride to the altar | My father gave me away at my wedding. | |
| give something away | ruin a secret | My little sister gave the surprise party away 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 finally gave in. | |
| give something out | give to many people (usually at no cost) | They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store. | |
| 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 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 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 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'll go over for an hour or two. | |
| go without something | suffer lack or deprivation | When I was young, we went without winter boots. | |
| grow apart | stop being friends over time | My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools. | |
| grow back | regrow | My roses grew back this summer. | |
| grow up | become an adult | When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman. | |
| grow out of something | 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 to fit | This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year. | |
| hand something down | 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 (N.Amer., 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. | |
| hold someone/something back | prevent from doing/going | I had to hold my dog back 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 onto someone/something | hold firmly using your hands or arms | Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside. | |
| hold someone/somethingup | rob | A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning. | |
| keep on doing something | continue doing | Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil. | |
| keep something from someone | not tell | We kept our relationship from our parents for two years. | |
| keep someone/something out | 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 me down this time. | |
| let someone in | allow to enter | Can you let the cat in before 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 off somebody could get into your account. | |
| look after someone/something | take care of | I have to look after my sick grandmother. | |
| look down on someone | think less of, consider inferior | Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me. | |
| look for someone/something | try to find | I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding. | |
| look forward to something | be excited about the future | I'm looking forward to the 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 for someone/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 up at breakfast. | |
| make someone up | apply cosmetics to | My sisters made me up 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 passed the textbooks out before 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 you back on Friday. | |
| pay for something | be punished for doing something bad | That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother. | |
| pick something out | choose | I picked out three sweaters for you to try on. | |
| point someone/something out | indicate with your finger | I'll point my boyfriend out 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 teacher down 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 something together | assemble | I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives. | |
| put up with someone/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 on your new earrings for the party. | |
| run into someone/something | meet unexpectedly | I ran into an old school-friend at the mall. | |
| run over someone/something | drive a vehicle over a person or thing | I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway. | |
| run over/through something | rehearse, review | Let's run over/through these lines one more time before the show. | |
| run away | leave unexpectedly, escape | The child ran away from 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 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 for people watching (usually boastfully) | He always shows off on his skateboard | |
| sleep over | stay somewhere for the night (informal) | You should sleep over tonight 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 it off. | |
| 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 brakes apart 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 took us 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 something away | 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 TV down while the guests are here. | |
| turn something down | refuse | I turned the job down because 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 lights on. | |
| turn something up | increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc) | Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song. | |
| turn up | appear suddenly | Our cat turned up after 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 detergent out. | |
| 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 up early for work on Monday. | |
| warm someone/something up | 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-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 something out | make a calculation | We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house. | |
Br.E.: British English; N.Amer.: North American