Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

ask someone out invite on a date Why don't you ask Carla out to dinner?

ask around ask different people I asked around but nobody is helping.

add up to something to combine Your savings will add up over time.

back something up reverse Back up your truck so I park.

back someone up support We will back you up financially.

blow up explode They blew up the tanks.

blow something up add air Blow up the balloons.

break up to separate Katie broke up with her boyfriend.

My car broke down in the middle of the

break down stop functioning
road.

divide into smaller

break something down Break it down so we can understand better.
parts

The thief must have broken in from the back

break in Entering by force
door.

break into something enter by force Someone broke into my car yesterday night.

Michael broke out of Fox River

break out escape
penitentiary.

bring someone down make unhappy Don't let your relationship bring you down.

bring up to raise Jessica was brought up by her grandparents.

start talking about a You shouldn't bring up this subject when

bring something up
subject you are in public.

I was calling around all morning to book

call around phone different people
our flights.

I will call you back when I finish my

call someone back return a phone call
homework.
call something off cancel It's false alarm, you can call it off.

call someone up phone Call me up when you are in town.

You can't think right, you need to calm

calm down to relax
down.

You two start running, I will catch up to

catch up get to the same point
you.

Let's check in first and then we can go to the

check in arrive and register
rooms.

Wait for me, I need to check out and return

check out leave a hotel>
the keys.

check look at carefully, to

They are checking us out before hiring.
someone/something out investigate

check out look at Check out that girl with blue shirt.

cheer one up make happier Don't worry, I know how to cheer her up.

Everybody chipped in to gather that much

chip in help
money.

clean up to clean, tidy Clean up your bedroom tonight.

I came across these old photos when I was

come across find unexpectedly
cleaning up my room.

come apart separate The sides of the box come apart.

I will award whomever comes forward for

come forward to volunteer
this job.

come up with think of Russell came up with a brilliant idea.

I can count on this phrasal verbs list for

count on rely on
tomorrow's grammar quiz.

Please cross those numbers out, they are

cross something out draw a line through
invalid.
 make something fall
cut down They cut down all the trees.
to the ground

I couldn't have a nice conversation with him

cut in interrupt
because his friend kept on cutting in.

remove with
cut off They will cut off the stitches next week.
something sharp

Are you saying that you couldn't do the

cut off stop providing homework because the electricity was cut
off?

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

I have to do the project over because

do something over do again
used the wrong data.

dress up wear nice clothing They dressed up for their anniversary

move back in a The troops dropped back after the bi

drop back
position/group explosion.

drop in/by come without an appointment What are the drop in hours for the cli

drop someone / deliver one or something Just drop me off by the market, I will
something off some place walk home.

I dropped out of high school because

drop out quit a class, school etc
started working.

eat out eat a meal at a restaurant We eat out every weekend.

eventually decide to, to end I don't want to end up buying a new

end up
with house.

This is not good, my entire plan is fal

fall apart break into pieces
apart.

fall for be tricked by, believe I can't believe you fell for his lies.
 I can't figure out how to solve this
figure out find a solution by thinking
problem.

fill in to write in blanks Please fill in the form.

fill something out to write information in blanks Fill out an application.

fill something up fill to the top Fill the bottles up with water.

find out discover What if she finds out that you are lyin

get along with like each other Do you get along with your in-laws?

get away go on vacation I feel so tired, I just want to get away

do without being seen or Do you think we can get away

get away with something
punished with cheating?

get back return I need to get back to work.

get on/in something step onto a vehicle Come on, get in the car.

recover from an illness, You can' be sick this weekend, please

get over something
difficulty over it.

get over something overcome a problem I just want to get over this school pro

get to They know where he is, they finally g

reach
someone/something to him.

I get to go out with the most wonderfu

get to do something have the opportunity
girl tonight.

meet ( usually for social

get together Lets get together for a BBQ this wee
reason)

get up get out of bed I feel sleepy, I got up so early today.

get up stand Get up, we need to go, it's getting late

give someone away reveal one's secret He will go to jail if you give him awa

They are giving away free books at th

give something away give something for free
library.
 give something up quit a habit He needs to give up smoking.

She is very passionate, she won't give

give up stop fighting
up easily.

go after someone follow someone Make sure nobody is coming after us

go ahead start, proceed Go ahead and press the search button

go back to return I need to go back to school.

leave home and go on a

go out Are you going out tonight?
social event

go out with someone date Do you think she will go out with me

We will go over the phrasal verbs bef

go over something review
the exam.

Mathew and Anna grew apart after th

grow apart> stop being close over time
started college.

She has grown up since the last time

grow up become older
her.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

Hand in your homework before you

hand something in submit
leave.

give something to a group of The teacher is handing out the

hand something out
people worksheets.

hand something over give Your knife, hand it over.

Hang in there, the semester is almost

hang in stay positive (informal)
over.

hang on wait (informal) Hang on, I will be right back.

spend time
hang out Do you want to hang out tonight?
together(informal)
 I hate it when she hangs up on my
hang up end the call
face.

hold on wait Hold on, I am coming.

hold onto hold tightly Hold onto your hat, it's windy.

Hold onto your kids, they are all

hold onto know it's value
you've got.

The guy kept on looking at me all

keep on continue
night.

keep out don't let enter Keep the pets out of the bedroom.

Well done Charlie, keep up the good

keep up continue at same level
work.

lay out to spend She lays out a fortune on jewelry.

I am counting on you, please don't let

let someone down to disappoint
me down this time.

let someone in allow to enter Let James in, he is with me.

You go to your meeting, I will look

look after take care of
after the kids.

He always looks down on me just

look down on consider inferior
because I didn't finish college.

look for try to find Are you looking for your keys?

I'm looking forward to meeting that

look forward to be excited about
girl.

Look out! the dog doesn't seem

look out / watch out be careful
friendly.

Look out for wild dogs when you are

look out for be careful
traveling abroad.
 search in dictionary / You should Look up the words you
look up
encyclopedia don't know on this website.

Don't make things up, tell him the

make something up lie about something
truth.

I am guilty, I will do anything to make

make up justify a mistake
it up to you.

Make me up pretty, I want to look

make up put on cosmetics
good tonight.

Don't mix up phrasal verbs look after

mix up confuse
and take after?

She got sick after his mother passed

pass away die
away.

She just passed out when we were

pass out faint
walking.

The teacher started passing out the

pass something out give something to people
exams at noon.

pay for something be punished Whoever did this is going to pay for it.

pick out choose I Picked out the ones you like.

The lady pointed out who tried to steal

point out show with finger
her purse.

He put me down in front of

put someone down insult
everybody.

Good news! The teacher put off the

put off postpone
exam.

Use the fire extinguisher to put

put out extinguish
out small fires.

He is so annoying, I can't put up
put up with tolerate
with him anymore.

put on to clothe oneself Put on your jacket, it's getting cold.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

meet Have you seen Mike lately? Yeah, I ran into him

run into
unexpectedly at the mall today.

drive over a
run over Be careful, we don't want to run over anybody.
with a vehicle

run away escape You can't run away from me!

have no more
run out We are running out of gas.
of something

Someone set Lincoln up and he ended up going

set someone up trap
to jail.

shopping at
different
I am shopping around to see which one is the
shop around places,
best for me.
comparing
prices

display
show off proudly, She loves to show off her new pendant.
pretentiously

spend the night

Jamie is going to sleep over at my sister's house
sleep over at somewhere
tonight.
(informal)

You should stick to football, you are not a

stick to something stay with
baseball person.

turn off, cut the

switch off Switch off the light so we can sleep.
power

switch on turn on Don't switch on the light, Sarah is asleep.

I am not like mom, I must have taken after my

take after someone resemble
dad.

take apart break into He took apart the clock so that he can fix it.
pieces
 (purposely)

take off start to fly Aircraft are ready to take off.

remove
take something off Why don't you take off your shoes?
(clothing)

take someone
take someone out I will take the kids out for a walk.
to somewhere

tear up rip into pieces I am going to tear up the boxes to recycle.

contemplate
think over I will think it over and answer you.
(rethink)

throw away get rid of Should I throw away the old lamb?

decrease the
turn down Can you turn down the radio? I have a headache.
level

We are going out right? Don't turn me

turn down refuse an offer
down please.

disconnect
turn off power supply, Turn off your laptop before you sleep.
switch off

turn on start, switch on Turn on the TV, I want to watch the news.

increase the
turn up Can you turn up the heat? I am cold.
level

put on a
try something on garment to see I like this suit, I want to try it on
if it's good

try out put to a test I am going to try out this new shampoo.

use something up finish It used up all the fuel in the tank.

wake up stop sleeping I woke up early today to study phrasal verbs.

prepare for You should warm up before you start lifting

warm up
exercise weights.
 increase the
warm up Can you warm up the food for me?
temperature

be careful
watch out for Watch out for the dogs!
about

become This hiking has worn me out, I can't walk

wear out
exhausted anymore.

work out exercise Arnold works out at the gym 7 days a week.