Phrasal Verbs List With Meanings

What are phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs with prepositions or adverbs that create meanings different from the original verb. For example, “give up” means to quit, which is distinct from the meaning of “give.” They are commonly used in informal English and can be challenging for learners due to their idiomatic nature.

100 Most Common Phrasal Verbs List with Meaning

Here are 100 of the most common phrasal verbs that can be used in our daily communication.

Phrasal VerbMeaning of the Phrasal VerbExample
Add up toTo have something build up in combination or along with something that has already happenedThe chief guest arriving late added up to the existing problems.
Ask aroundTo enquire about something to different peopleThe teacher asked around the entire school if they saw a little boy named Aman going upstairs.
Abide byTo act in accordance with somethingTo remain faithful to someoneWhile you are here, you will have to abide by the rules and regulations of this organisation. He did not show up for the event as he had promised, but he had supported me for months and so I will abide by him.
Account forTo explain something by connecting or relating circumstancesTo be the primary cause of something that happenedTo destroyThe doctor does not have to account for anything to you. You will be accounted for any damage done to the products. Terrorism accounts for the loss of lives more that diseases do.
Break inTo enter a building or a place forcefullyTo start something brand new or take something to a new levelSomeone tried to break into our house last Saturday. Tabrez broke in with the newest smartphone.
Break upTo break some object into piecesTo end a relationshipTo dissolve or to partThe glass plates broke up when it was unknowingly pushed down by Chandler. Saina broke up with her boyfriend last month.The party finally broke up after three long hours of dance and music.
Blow upTo explodeTo enlargeTo fail disastrouslyDo you know why vehicles blow up when they crash into another vehicle or fall off a cliff?Try blowing up the pictures if you want a better look at them.Jatin blew up the interview he attended yesterday.
Back downTake a more compromising and less aggressive position in a conflict contrary to what one had in mind earlierThe opposite party decided to back down after hearing our case.
Break offTo cancel or put an end to somethingDiana broke off her engagement.
Bring onTo cause something to happenExcessive drinking and smoking can bring on serious health hazards like heart attacks, lung diseases and cancer.
Bring upTo mentionTo rear or nurtureTo uncover something that has been in the dark or a mystery for longWe had asked Vishwajeet not to bring up the issue of gender neutrality but he did it anyway. My brother and I were born and brought up in North India.The facts we had been missing out on were brought up by Terry, the undercover agent.
Brush upTo review or improve on some skill that you already possess or some information you already know.I will have to help my sister brush up her French before she leaves for Paris.
Burst outTo display sudden powerful emotion or to speak suddenly or emotionallyThe whole room burst out into laughter the moment the boys left.
Call offTo cancelThe managing director had to call off the meeting because of some medical emergency.
Catch upTo update oneself with the past and present eventsTo entangleTo reach something that is already ahead of youIt has been a really long time since we met. We should definitely catch up.All the embroidery threads have got caught up with each other as they were put together. Sunita was late for the meeting but she somehow managed to catch up with all that she had missed.
Check outTo withdraw, to leaveTo examine or to inspectAnurag never checks out of the hotel room he has rented even one minute before the given time. The CBI checked out the spot for possible evidence.
Cheer upTo become happyTo make someone happy by doing or saying somethingThe little boy fell down but he cheered up soon after. His dad was doing all that he could to cheer him up.
Count onTo depend on someone or somethingTo expectAll the members of the team were counting on their captain. Don’t count on being able to get the 10 p.m. bus if you are planning to leave home by 8:30.
Clean upTo tidyTo become smart or handsomeAzaz was asked to clean up the hall after his play time.He looks smart, he surely cleans up well.
Drop outTo quit or to leaveTo be interrupted momentarilySujata and Sameera decided to drop out of the online course.I am not able to make any phone calls as the line keeps dropping out.
Do withoutTo manage without someone or somethingBinu sure cannot do without a secretary.
Do away withTo put an end to something or to eliminate somethingIf you want to live in peace, you have to do away with the superstitions and judgements.
Ease offTo reduce the pressureTo become less serious or concernedTry listening to some music; it will surely help you to ease off your thoughts about the upcoming exam results.The manager tried to ease off a little; he had been working for months to get this project.
End upTo concludeTo arrive at a particular destinationTo do something eventuallyAfter all the chaos, that is how all of it ended up.Joy, Sherin, Sanju and Arjun ended up in a forest after driving for a long time.We sat in the railway station for long hours as the train was late and we ended up talking and enjoying each other’s company.
Figure outTo solve or find out somethingTo understandAs soon as I figure out how to request a return for the trimmer I bought, I will order a different one.Are you able to figure out what she has been speaking about?
Fall apartTo break into pieces or to disintegrateTo be in an emotional crisisMy old house is falling apart; we have to do something about it soon or we would be in big trouble.I cannot stand to see my two best friends falling apart because of something so silly.
Fill inTo provide missing information about someone or somethingTo substitute for someone or somethingThe guy who owned the tea shop filled in about the recent theft attempt at the opposite house.Raju asked Bheem to fill in for him so that he could take care of his sick father.
Fall throughTo be unsuccessfulTo be cancelledAll their attempts to convince the Principal for a holiday fell through.Their plans to go river rafting fell through because of heavy rains in the area.
Fall behindTo be lateTo be below average in one’s performanceThe landlord did not appreciate the boys falling behind with the rent every month.You might lose your job if you keep falling behind with your work.
Follow upTo continue or take further actionsTo verifyThe superintendent asked him to follow up on the remaining files.Try sending a letter but make sure you follow up promptly without missing out.
Get backTo retrieveTo do something to harm or hurt someone who has harmed or hurt youMake sure you get every single form back before you leave the office today evening.The boys from the other school are planning to get back at us because they lost the match.
Get throughTo overcome or endureTo completeIt was very difficult for her to get through all of it alone.Cinderella got through the book she was reading this afternoon.
Give inTo collapse or to fallTo surrender or to admit defeatThe building gave in due to the earthquake.After a long quarrel, I finally gave in and let him have the last piece of cake.
Go aboutTo keep oneself busy with somethingMy brother just goes about his work; he never has time for the family.
Grow upTo develop or flourishTechnology grew up even in the most rural areas.
Grow apartTo become estranged graduallyThey were very close but they grew apart over the years.
Goof aroundTo play or fool aroundThe children were goofing around with their grandparents.
Go through withTo proceed or continue withMy mom and dad decided to go through with the demolition of our ancestral house.
Hang onTo waitTo grasp or holdTo continuously have faith in somethingTo persevereCan you please hang on for a minute while I check for your details?Hang on to the handle so that you do not fall.He has got a theory that he hangs on to.This pain is not going to stay forever, just hang on and keep going.
Hold onTo store something for someoneTo wait for a short whileCan you please hold on to this seat so that I can bring my luggage?Hold on, let me just get my phone.
Hand outTo distributeThe teacher asked Maya to hand out the permission slips.
Hand overTo transfer control or possession of something to someoneTo deliver something to someoneThe controls of the system were handed over to Mike.I handed over all the documents to the bank manager yesterday.
Hang outTo spend time with someone and not doing anything particularlyMy friends decided to hang out at the coffee shop opposite our college after graduation.
Hold againstTo think less of someone because of something they have doneSuganya was awful to me when we were in school, but I don’t hold any of it against her, but I don’t think she has moved on.
Head backTo go back to a place from where you had initially startedWe headed back to the hotel after a long trek.
Help OutTo provide someone with assistance in doing somethingWhen we were shifting, we did not know much trouble as my son’s friends helped out a lot.
Hold upTo withstandTo fulfil one’s part of an agreementTo rob at gunpointYou have to hold up to all kinds of judgement if you want to survive at this job.He kept holding up his end of the bargain even though we tried to make a compromise.The guy in the red jacket is the one who held up the bank yesterday.
Knock outTo render unconsciousTo completeTo exhaustThe police knocked out the man who tried to break into the house.Ricky knocked out the entire assignment in one night.Taking care of fifty students all day really knocked her out.
Knock offTo killTo remove as a discountTo robThe girl hired a gang to knock off the people who had been threatening her.The manager agreed to knock off 25% of the price for all new arrivals.The mob knocked off a clothing store during the commotion.
Knock overTo stage a heist ofTo strike somethingThe gang knocked over another bank this week.Kimmy knocked over the water bottle which was kept open.
Look forTo search or seekTo expectShe spent her whole day looking for a green file.Do you have any idea of what they would look for in me?
Look outTo be careful and vigilantThe police have asked all the residents of the area to look out for men wearing peculiar clothes.
Look upTo refer or search for informationTo have better prospectsI guess I have to look up the dictionary to find out the meanings of the words I do not know.Everything has started looking up for him since he moved to France.
Look intoTo investigate or exploreTo considerThe CBI has been appointed to look into the case.Can you please look into this before you move on to the next work?
Light upTo illuminateTo make happyThe team has done a great job in lighting up the entire place.The little boy’s dance lit up the entire room.
Lift upTo exalt someone’s moodThe reunion of the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. cast lifted up the fans of the show.
Look up toTo show respect and admiration for someoneGirls always look up to their fathers.
Make forTo produce a resultConstant disagreement and arguments will not make for a happy marriage.
Make upTo fabricate or inventTo settle or resolveCan you believe that they made up the whole story?You have to definitely make up for all that has happened because of your forgetfulness.
Move inTo start living or working in a new placeWhen are you moving into the new apartment?
Move outTo leave one’s current location to go to another placeBeth finally moved out of this neighbourhood.
Narrow downTo make things more specificCan you please narrow down your choices so that we can provide you the cost estimation?
Opt outTo decide not to participate in somethingAnna opted out of the creative writing competition.
Pay forTo be punished or held accountable for something that has happenedWe had warned him that he would have to pay for his careless choices.
Pay backTo take revengeGulliver paid them back for kidnapping him.
Point outTo remind or indicateThe lawyer pointed out that Harry was the one who reached the spot first.
Pull offTo achieve, succeed or make it happenAre you sure you can pull it off by yourself?
Pull overTo come to a stopCan you please pull over for some time?
Put upTo dare someone to do somethingTo endureHe thinks that someone might have put him up to all this.I don’t know how I am going to put up with all her drama.
Put up withTo bear with or endureI know what exactly you had to put up with to reach here.
Rip offTo copy illegallyDo you know who ripped off their idea?
Rule outTo reject an optionTo make something impossibleWe had to rule out the colours that looked flashy.The heavy rains ruled out our every chance to go out today.
Run intoTo meet someone unexpectedlyran into your brother on the way to school yesterday.
Run overTo describe brieflyTo drive over somethingCan you please run over the agenda for me?Someone just ran over the dog.
Screw upTo ruin or make a mistakePlease try not to screw up this time
See aboutTo take careThe teacher will see about it.
Settle downTo get comfortableLet me know after you settle down.
Settle forTo accept something that’s not desirableHe finally decided to settle for the cheaper headphones.
Sign upTo enrolWe decided to sign up for the winter musicals this year.
Sign offTo stop talkingHow are you planning to sign off your speech?
Sneak inTo enter without being noticedDid you see her sneak into her room?
Shut downTo stop something from functioningTo endTo withdraw oneself emotionally as a defence mechanismIt would be good if you could shut it down for a while.The company was shut down.She shuts down every time I try t o make a conversation with her.
Stand up forTo speak or act in support of somethingWould you stand up for us?
Straighten outTo make something rightHe is coming tomorrow to straighten things out.
Show offTo act boastfullyHe often shows off his new expensive gadgets
Stick aroundTo stayI think she wants to stick around for some more time.
Try outTo test something to check if it works well or notTo take a test to see if you qualify, to auditionWhy don’t you try out if the TV is working now?If you want to be on the team, you will have to first try out.
Take out onTo treat someone badlyHe took it out on his sister.
Talk out ofTo dissuade someoneThey talked him out of it somehow.
Think upTo inventI know you can think up plenty of excuses.
Throw upTo vomitThe little boy threw up after jumping around the whole day.
Turn inTo submit or to tell on someoneHe turned himself in to the police.
Turn downTo rejectHe turned down the offer
Turn outTo provide a resultIt turned out to be a successful program.
Warm up toTo become earnest to someoneHe warmed up to her as soon as we had expected.
Watch outTo be vigilantYou better watch out for speeding vehicles.
Wear outTo not be in a useful condition or to be exhaustedHe was worn out by the continuous practice.
Wipe offTo removeAll the money was wiped off.
Wrap upTo end somethingWe have to wrap up the event by 5 p.m.
Zone outTo lose concentrationThe children zoned out in the middle of the class.

Frequently Asked Questions on Phrasal Verbs

Q1: What are phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are a combination of a verb and a preposition or an adverb that function just like a verb in a sentence.

Q2: What are the 10 examples of phrasal verbs.

  • Add on
  • Call in
  • Fall off
  • Give up
  • Knock out
  • Make up
  • Opt out
  • Pay for
  • See about
  • Take out on
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