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 askedJudy out to dinner and a

movie.

ask around ask many people the I asked aroundbut nobody has seen
same question my wallet.

add up to something equal Your purchasesadd up to$205.32.

back something up reverse You'll have toback up your car so that

I can get out.

back someone up support My wife backedme up over my

decision to quit my job.

blow up explode The racing carblew up after it crashed

into the fence.

blow something up add air We have toblow 50 balloons up for

the party.

break down stop functioning (vehicle, Our car broke down at the side of the
machine) highway in the snowstorm.

break down get upset The womanbroke downwhen the

police told her that her son had died.

break somethingdown divide into smaller parts Our teacherbroke the final

project downinto three separate parts.

break in force entry to a building Somebodybroke in last night and stole

our stereo.

break into something enter forcibly The firemen had to break intothe

room to rescue the children.

break something in wear something a few I need to breakthese shoes inbefore

times so that it doesn't we run next week.
look/feel new

break in interrupt The TV stationbroke in to report the

news of the president's death.

break up end a relationship My boyfriend and I broke upbefore I

moved to America.

break up start laughing (informal) The kids justbroke up as soon as the
clown started talking.

break out escape The prisonersbroke 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 medown.

bring someone up raise a child My grandparentsbrought me upafter

my parents died.
phrasal verb meaning example sentence

bring something up start talking about a My mother walks out of the room

subject when my fatherbrings upsports.

bring something up vomit He drank so much that hebrought his

dinner up in the toilet.

call around phone many different We called around but we weren't able

places/people to find the car part we needed.

call someone back return a phone call I called the company backbut the

offices were closed for the weekend.

call something off cancel Jason called the wedding offbecause

he wasn't in love with his fiancé.

call on someone ask for an answer or The professorcalled on me for

opinion question 1.

call on someone visit someone We called onyou 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 not like (formal) I don't care forhis behaviour.

forsomeone/something

catch up get to the same point as You'll have to run faster than that if
someone else you want to catch up with Marty.

check in arrive and register at a We will get the hotel keys when
hotel or airport we check in.

check out leave a hotel You have tocheck out of the hotel
before 11:00 AM.

checksomeone/somethingout look at carefully, The companychecks out all new

investigate employees.

check outsomeone/something look at (informal) Check out the crazy hair on that guy!

cheer up become happier She cheered upwhen she heard the

good news.

cheer someone up make happier I brought you some flowers

tocheer you up.

chip in help If everyonechips in we can get the

kitchen painted by noon.

clean something up tidy, clean Please clean upyour bedroom before

you go outside.

come acrosssomething find unexpectedly I came acrossthese old photos when I

was tidying the closet.
phrasal verb meaning example sentence

come apart separate The top and bottom come apart if you

pull hard enough.

come down withsomething become sick My nephewcame down with chicken

pox this weekend.

come forward volunteer for a task or to The womancame forwardwith her

give evidence husband's finger prints.

come fromsomewhere originate in The art of origami comes 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 to cut back

on sweets and fatty foods.

cut something down make something fall to We had to cutthe old tree in our

the ground 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 The bus driver got angry when that
front of another vehicle car cut in.

cut in start operating (of an The air conditioner cuts in when the

engine or electrical temperature gets to 22°C.
device)

cut something off remove with something The doctors cut off his leg because it

sharp was severely injured.

cut something off stop providing The phone company cut offour phone

because we didn't pay the bill.

cut someone off take out of a will My grandparentscut my

fatheroff when he remarried.

cut something out remove part of something I cut this ad outof the newspaper.

(usually with scissors and
paper)

dosomeone/somethingover beat up, ransack (BrE, He's lucky to be alive. His shop
informal) was done overby a street gang.

do something over do again (AmE) My teacher wants me to domy

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 upbefore you go outside.

It's snowing!

dress up wear nice clothing It's a fancy restaurant so we have

phrasal verb meaning example sentence

to dress up.

drop back move back in a Andrea dropped back to third place

position/group when she fell off her bike.

drop in/by/over come without an I might drop in/by/over for tea

appointment sometime this week.

dropsomeone/somethingoff take someone/something I have to dropmy sister off at work

somewhere and leave before I come over.
them/it there

drop out quit a class, school etc I dropped outof 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 We ended uprenting a movie instead

reach/do/decide of going to the theatre.

fall apart break into pieces My new dressfell apart in the washing
machine.

fall down fall to the ground The picture that you hung up last
night fell downthis morning.

fall out separate from an interior The money must have fallen outof my
pocket.

fall out (of hair, teeth) become His hair started to fall out when he
loose and unattached was only 35.

figure something out understand, find the I need to figure out how to fit the

answer piano and the bookshelf in this room.

fill something in to write information in Please fill in the form with your name,

blanks, as on a form address, and phone number.
(BrE)

fill something out to write information in The form must be filled out in capital

blanks, as on a form letters.
(AmE)

fill something up fill to the top I always fill the water jug upwhen 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 Samanthafound it out.

get somethingacross/over communicate, make I tried to get my pointacross/over to

understandable the judge but she wouldn't listen.

get along/on like each other I was surprised how well my new
girlfriend and my sistergot along/on.

get around have mobility My grandfather can get aroundfine in

phrasal verb meaning example sentence

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 Jason alwaysgets away withcheating
or punished in his maths tests.

get back return We got backfrom our vacation last

week.

get something back receive something you Liz finally gother Science

had before 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 intosomething become interested in I finally got back into my novel and
something again finished it.

get on something step onto a vehicle We're going to freeze out here if you
don't let usget on the bus.

get over something recover from an illness, I just got overthe flu and now my
loss, difficulty 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 I don't know when I am going to get
(AmE: get around round towriting the thank you cards.
tosomething)

get together meet (usually for social Let's get together for a BBQ this
reasons) 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 His wife gavehim away to the police.

information about
someone

give someone away take the bride to the altar My father gaveme away at my

wedding.

give something away ruin a secret My little sistergave the surprise

partyaway by accident.

give something away give something to The library wasgiving away old books

someone for free on Friday.

give something back return a borrowed item I have to givethese skatesback to

Franz before his hockey game.

give in reluctantly stop fighting My boyfriend didn't want to go to the

or arguing ballet, but he finally gave in.
phrasal verb meaning example sentence

give something out give to many people They weregiving out free perfume

(usually at no cost) 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 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 We're going outfor dinner tonight.

social event

go out with someone date Jesse has beengoing out withLuke

since they met last winter.

go over something review Please go overyour 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 withoutsomething suffer lack or deprivation When I was young, we went

without winter boots.

grow apart stop being friends over My best friend and I grew apart after
time she changed schools.

grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.

grow up become an adult When Jackgrows up he wants to be a

fireman.

grow out ofsomething 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 shouldgrow into it by next year.

hand somethingdown give something used to I handed my old comic booksdown to

someone else my little cousin.

hand something in submit I have to hand in my essay by Friday.

phrasal verb meaning example sentence

hand something out to distribute to a group of We will hand out the invitations at the

people door.

hand something over give (usually The police asked the man tohand

unwillingly) 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 Hang on while I grab my coat and

(informal) shoes!

hang out spend time relaxing Instead of going to the party we are
(informal) just going tohang 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 holdmy dog backbecause

there was a cat in the park.

hold something back hide an emotion Jamie held backhis tears at his

grandfather's funeral.

hold on wait a short time Please hold onwhile I transfer you to

the Sales Department.

hold ontosomeone/something hold firmly using your Hold onto your hat because it's very
hands or arms windy outside.

holdsomeone/somethingup rob A man in a black mask held the

bank up this morning.

keep on doingsomething continue doing Keep on stirring until the liquid comes
to a boil.

keep something fromsomeon not tell We kept our relationshipfrom our

e 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 keepthose results upyou will

get into a great college.

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

disappoint Don'tlet me downthis 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, I can't log in to Facebook because I've
database etc) forgotten my password.

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

look aftersomeone/something take care of I have to look after my sick

grandmother.
phrasal verb meaning example sentence

look down onsomeone think less of, consider Ever since we stole that chocolate bar
inferior your dad haslooked down on me.

look forsomeone/something try to find I'm looking fora red dress for the
wedding.

look forward tosomething be excited about the I'm looking forward to the Christmas
future break.

look into something investigate We are going tolook into the price of

snowboards today.

look out be careful, vigilant, and Look out! That car's going to hit you!
take notice

look out be especially vigilant for Don't forget tolook out forsnakes on
forsomeone/something the hiking trail.

look something over check, examine Can you look over my essay for

spelling mistakes?

look something up search and find We can look her phone numberup on

information in a the Internet.
reference book or
database

look up to someone have a lot of respect for My little sister has alwayslooked up to
me.

make something up invent, lie about Josie made up a story about why we

something 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 mademe up for my

graduation party.

mix something up confuse two or more I mixed up the twins' names again!

things

pass away die His unclepassed 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 thing to The professorpassed the

many people textbooks outbefore class.

pass something up decline (usually I passed up the job because I am

something good) afraid of change.

pay someone back return owed money Thanks for buying my ticket.

I'll payyou back on Friday.

pay for something be punished for doing That bully willpay for being mean to
something bad my little brother.

pick something out choose I picked outthree sweaters for you to

phrasal verb meaning example sentence

try on.

pointsomeone/somethingout indicate with your finger I'll point my boyfriend outwhen he

runs by.

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

put someone down insult, make someone The studentsput the substitute

feel 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 neighboursput the fire outbefore

the firemen arrived.

put somethingtogether assemble I have to putthe cribtogether before

the baby arrives.

put up tolerate I don't think I can put up withthree

withsomeone/something small children in the car.

put something on put clothing/accessories Don't forget toput on your new

on your body 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 I accidentallyran over your bicycle in

person or thing the driveway.

run over/throughsomething rehearse, review Let's run over/throughthese lines one

more time before the show.

run away leave unexpectedly, The child ran away from home and

escape 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 gotsent 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 He alwaysshows off on his skateboard
people watching (usually
boastfully)

sleep over stay somewhere for the You shouldsleep overtonight if the
night (informal) weather is too bad to drive home.
phrasal verb meaning example sentence

sort something out organize, resolve a We need to sortthe bills outbefore the

problem first of the month.

stick to something continue doing You will lose weight if youstick to the
something, limit yourself diet.
to one particular thing

switch something off stop the energy flow, turn The light's too bright. Could
off you switch itoff.

switch something on start the energy flow, We heard the news as soon as

turn on we switched onthe car radio.

take after someone resemble a family I take after my mother. We are both

member impatient.

take something apart purposely break into He took the car brakes apartand found

pieces the problem.

take something back return an item I have to takeour new

TVback because it doesn't work.

take off start to fly My plane takes off in five minutes.

take something off remove something Take off your socks and shoes and

(usually clothing) come in the lake!

take something out remove from a place or Can you takethe garbage outto the

thing street for me?

take someone out pay for someone to go My grandparentstook us out for dinner

somewhere with you 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, When I think back on my youth, I

sometimes + on) wish I had studied harder.

think something over consider I'll have to thinkthis job

offerover before I make my final
decision.

throw somethingaway dispose of We threw our old furnitureaway when

we won the lottery.

turn something down decrease the volume or Please turn the TV down while the

strength (heat, light etc) guests are here.

turn something down refuse I turned the jobdown because I don't

want to move.

turn something off stop the energy flow, Your mother wants you toturn the
switch off TV offand come for dinner.

turn something on start the energy, switch It's too dark in here. Let's turnsome
on lights on.

turn something up increase the volume or Can you turnthe music up? This is my

strength (heat, light etc) favourite song.
phrasal verb meaning example sentence

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 trythese jeans on, but I

don't think they will fit.

try something out test I am going totry this new brand of

detergent out.

use something up finish the supply The kids usedall of the

toothpaste up so we need to buy some
more.

wake up stop sleeping We have towake up early for work on

Monday.

warmsomeone/somethingup increase the temperature You can warmyour 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 planworked outfine.

work something out make a calculation We have towork out the total cost

before we buy the house.