Mastering English Phrasal Verbs: A Comprehensive List

Posted on Dec 13, 2024 in English

Mastering English Phrasal Verbs

Understanding Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of the English language. They are idiomatic expressions that combine a verb with a preposition or an adverb, creating a new meaning that is often different from the original verb. Mastering phrasal verbs can significantly improve your fluency and understanding of English.

Common Phrasal Verbs

Add

  • Add up: To make sense; to seem reasonable.

Be

  • Be over: To be finished.

Bite

  • Bite off: To accept more responsibility than one can handle; to start with one’s teeth.

Bring

  • Bring back: To return.
  • Bring down: To reduce.
  • Bring forward: To advance (appointments, travel, etc.).
  • Bring in: To earn (money); to lead; to invite.
  • Bring on: To produce; to cause.
  • Bring out: To release; to publish.
  • Bring up: To remove; to raise (a subject); to educate; to raise.

Climb

  • Climb down: To descend; to get off (the bed).
  • Climb into: To put to bed.

Come

  • Come across: To find (by accident).
  • Come along: To arrive; to happen; to accompany.
  • Come apart: To break into pieces; to shatter.
  • Come on down: To be scolded; to be confronted in a sink.
  • Come in: To enter; to pass.
  • Come into: To log in; to inherit.
  • Come round: To come and visit; to recover consciousness.
  • Come through: To survive (something bad); to pass.
  • Come up with: To propose (an idea, a plan); to approach someone.

Count

  • Count on: To rely on (someone).

Get

  • Get by: To manage with little money; to scrape by.
  • Get in: To enter (a car).
  • Get into: To enter (college).
  • Get off: To leave (a bus, train, or airplane).

Go

  • Go back: To return.

Hand

  • Hand in: To deliver (work).

Keep

  • Keep off: To stay away from.
  • Keep on: To continue.
  • Keep out: To prevent from entering; forbidden to enter (signal).
  • Keep up with: To follow the thread/rhythm; to keep abreast of.

Knock

  • Knock over: To run over; to dump; to knock down.

Let

  • Let down: To fail; to deceive; to defraud.
  • Let on: To disclose; to reveal.

Lock

  • Lock up: To imprison (someone); locked.

Look

  • Look at: To examine; to observe.
  • Look back: To reflect on the past.
  • Look down on: To despise; to consider inferior.

Make

  • Make for: To go towards; to head for.
  • Make off with: To escape with; to steal.
  • Make up: To reconcile; to make peace.
  • Make up for: To compensate (for).

Move

  • Move away: To relocate (to another district or city); to depart.
  • Move out: To move to a new residence.

Pass

  • Pass by: To go ahead; to pass without stopping.

Point

  • Point out: To indicate; to draw attention to; to warn.

Pour

  • Pour down: To fall heavily (water); to rain heavily.

Pull

  • Pull back: To withdraw; to remove.
  • Pull into: To introduce.

Put

  • Put down: To humiliate; to belittle (someone); to write down; to leave; to put down (your phone).
  • Put forward: To propose; to present.
  • Put off: To postpone.
  • Put out: To extinguish (a cigarette, fire).
  • Put (someone) through: To connect (someone) on a phone call.
  • Put up: To erect (a statue); to raise (prices); to accommodate (someone).
  • Put up with: To endure; to tolerate.

Run

  • Run away: To escape; to flee.

See

  • See (someone) into: To accompany (someone) to the entrance.
  • See (someone) off: To bid farewell to (someone who is leaving).
  • See (someone) out: To accompany (someone) to the exit.
  • See through (someone): To perceive the true nature of (someone).
  • See to: To take care of; to attend to.

Set

  • Set up: To establish (a webpage, a business, etc.).

Show

  • Show off: To boast; to display proudly.

Sit

  • Sit back: To relax; to sit comfortably.

Split

  • Split up: To separate; to break up.

Stand

  • Stand by: To support; to not abandon (someone).
  • Stand for: To represent; to mean.
  • Stand in for: To replace (someone).
  • Stand out: To be noticeable; to excel.
  • Stand up: To rise to one’s feet.
  • Stand up to: To confront; to resist.

Start

  • Start out: To begin (in a job or profession).

Take

  • Take away from: To remove; to subtract; to reduce.

Throw

  • Throw away: To discard; to dispose of.

Try

  • Try on: To test the fit of (clothing).

Turn

  • Turn away: To divert; to refuse entry (in a country, disco, etc.); to turn (head, face).
  • Turn in: To go to bed; to hand over; to submit (to the police).
  • Turn into: To transform into; to become.
  • Turn on: To attack; to switch on (radio, television, etc.); to open (tap).
  • Turn out: To result; to end up; to switch off (light, etc.).
  • Turn round/around: To rotate; to change direction.
  • Turn up: To arrive; to appear; to increase (volume).

Use

  • Use up: To consume completely; to exhaust.

Walk

  • Walk away from: To abandon; to leave.
  • Walk off: To depart; to leave abruptly.
  • Walk out: To exit; to leave in protest.