500 Most Common Phrasal Verbs: Full List with Meanings

Phrasal verbs are everywhere in spoken English. You hear them in movies, in songs, at work, and in everyday conversation. This guide lists 570 of the most useful phrasal verbs, grouped by their main verb so they are easier to learn. Every entry includes a simple meaning and a real example sentence at B1 to B2 level.

Why Phrasal Verbs Matter

Native speakers use phrasal verbs constantly. If you only know single words like "postpone" or "discover", you will understand formal English but struggle with casual conversation. Learning phrasal verbs helps you speak naturally and understand what people actually say.

Many phrasal verbs have more than one meaning. For example, "pick up" can mean to lift something, to collect someone, or to learn a new skill. The examples in this list show the most common meaning of each entry.

How to Study This List

1. Learn by root verb. Read one section at a time, for example all the "get" phrasal verbs. Verbs in the same group often share a feeling or direction.

2. Write your own examples. After you read an example, write one about your own life. Personal sentences are easier to remember.

3. Review every day. Ten to fifteen new verbs a day is a good pace. At that speed you can finish the whole list in about seven weeks.

4. Note separable verbs. Each entry is marked (sep) or (insep). For separable verbs you can place the object between the verb and the particle, like "turn the TV off".

How This List Was Compiled

This list is compiled from standard learner dictionaries and frequency-based word lists. The entries reflect phrasal verbs that appear most often in everyday English, with meanings checked against Cambridge and Oxford learner dictionary definitions. It is a reference list for study, not a claim about exact corpus counts.

A

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
account for	(insep) to explain or be the reason for	How do you account for the missing money?
act on	(insep) to do something because of advice	She acted on her doctor's advice.
act out	(sep) to show something by performing it	The students acted out the story.
act up	(insep) to behave badly or stop working	My computer is acting up again.
add up	(sep) to make sense, or to total correctly	His story does not add up.
add up to	(insep) to have a total of	The bill adds up to $40.
agree with	(insep) to have the same opinion as	I agree with you completely.
allow for	(insep) to consider something when planning	Allow for traffic when you plan the trip.
answer back	(insep) to reply rudely to someone in authority	Do not answer back to your teacher.
answer for	(insep) to be responsible for	He will answer for his mistakes.
ask after	(insep) to ask for news about someone	She asked after your mother.
ask around	(insep) to ask many people for information	I asked around for a good dentist.
ask for	(insep) to request something	She asked for a glass of water.
ask out	(sep) to invite someone on a date	He asked her out to dinner.
auction off	(sep) to sell something at an auction	They auctioned off the old furniture.

B

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
back away	(insep) to move backwards because you are afraid	He backed away from the angry dog.
back down	(insep) to stop demanding something	She refused to back down in the argument.
back off	(insep) to stop being involved or aggressive	The police told the crowd to back off.
back out	(insep) to decide not to do something promised	He backed out of the deal at the last minute.
back up	(sep) to support someone, or to save a copy of data	Can you back me up in the meeting?
bail out	(sep) to help someone out of trouble, or to escape	The bank bailed out the failing company.
bank on	(insep) to depend on something happening	You can bank on him being late.
barge in	(insep) to enter suddenly and interrupt	Sorry to barge in on your meeting.
bargain for	(insep) to expect something to happen	I did not bargain for this much work.
bear with	(insep) to be patient with someone	Please bear with me for a moment.
beat up	(sep) to hit someone many times	He was beaten up outside the club.
beef up	(sep) to make something stronger or bigger	We need to beef up our security.
black out	(sep) to lose consciousness, or to cover completely	He blacked out after the long run.
block off	(sep) to close a road or area	The police blocked off the main street.
block out	(sep) to stop light or sound from coming in	These curtains block out the sun.
blow away	(sep) to impress someone very much	The concert blew me away.
blow out	(sep) to make a flame stop burning	She blew out the candles on the cake.
blow up	(sep) to explode, or to fill with air	The bomb blew up the old bridge.
boil down to	(insep) to have something as the main reason	It all boils down to money.
book in	(sep) to register at a hotel	We booked in at a small hotel.
break down	(insep) to stop working, or to fail	Our car broke down on the highway.
break even	(insep) to make neither profit nor loss	The business finally broke even this year.
break in	(insep) to enter a building by force	Someone broke in while we were away.
break into	(insep) to enter by force, or to start suddenly	Thieves broke into the shop at night.
break off	(sep) to separate, or to stop suddenly	She broke off the conversation.
break out	(insep) to start suddenly, or to escape	War broke out in 1939.
break out of	(insep) to escape from a place	Two prisoners broke out of jail.
break through	(insep) to pass through a barrier	The sun broke through the clouds.
break up	(sep) to end a relationship, or to separate	They broke up after five years.
bring about	(sep) to cause something to happen	The new law brought about big changes.
bring along	(sep) to take someone or something with you	Bring along your passport.
bring around	(sep) to persuade someone to agree	We brought her around to our point of view.
bring back	(sep) to return something, or to remind of the past	Please bring back my book tomorrow.
bring down	(sep) to make something fall or fail	The scandal brought down the government.
bring forward	(sep) to move something to an earlier time	The meeting was brought forward to Monday.
bring in	(sep) to earn money, or to introduce	The new product brings in good money.
bring off	(sep) to succeed in doing something difficult	They brought off a huge surprise win.
bring on	(sep) to cause something, often an illness	Stress brought on his headaches.
bring out	(sep) to publish or release, or to reveal	They brought out a new app last week.
bring over	(sep) to take someone or something to a place	Bring over some snacks tonight.
bring up	(sep) to raise a child, or to mention a topic	She brought up three children alone.
brush off	(sep) to ignore or refuse someone	He brushed off my suggestion.
brush up on	(insep) to improve a skill you have not used	I need to brush up on my French.
build in	(sep) to make something a fixed part of	The system has safety checks built in.
build on	(insep) to use something as a base	We will build on last year's success.
build up	(sep) to increase gradually	He built up a successful business.
bump into	(insep) to meet someone by chance	I bumped into an old friend today.
burn down	(sep) to destroy or be destroyed by fire	The old factory burned down last night.
burn out	(sep) to become exhausted from hard work	She burned out after months of overtime.
butt in	(insep) to interrupt a conversation	Sorry to butt in, but I have news.
butter up	(sep) to praise someone to get a favor	He buttered up the boss before asking for a raise.
buy into	(insep) to believe an idea	I do not buy into that theory.
buy out	(sep) to buy someone's share of a business	The partner bought out his colleague.
buy up	(sep) to buy as much as possible	Investors bought up all the shares.

C

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
call back	(sep) to return a phone call	I will call you back in ten minutes.
call for	(insep) to require, or to collect someone	This situation calls for calm.
call in	(sep) to ask someone to come, or to phone a place	They called in an expert to help.
call off	(sep) to cancel something	The match was called off because of rain.
call on	(insep) to visit, or to ask someone to speak	We called on our grandmother yesterday.
call out	(sep) to shout, or to challenge someone publicly	She called out his name across the street.
call up	(sep) to phone someone, or to bring to mind	Call me up when you arrive.
calm down	(sep) to become less angry or excited	Take a deep breath and calm down.
cancel out	(sep) to have equal opposite effects	The two costs cancel each other out.
care for	(insep) to look after, or to like	She cares for her elderly parents.
carry off	(sep) to succeed in doing something difficult	She carried off the award with ease.
carry on	(insep) to continue doing something	Please carry on with your work.
carry out	(sep) to do or complete a task	The team carried out the plan perfectly.
carry over	(sep) to move something to a later time	The unused days carry over to next year.
cash in	(insep) to exchange something for money	He cashed in his old coins.
catch on	(insep) to become popular, or to understand	The new dance really caught on.
catch up	(insep) to reach the same level as others	Run faster and catch up with them.
catch up on	(insep) to do something you have missed	I need to catch up on my sleep.
check in	(insep) to register at a hotel or airport	We checked in at noon.
check into	(insep) to arrive and register somewhere	They checked into a hotel near the beach.
check off	(sep) to mark items on a list as done	Check off each task as you finish it.
check on	(insep) to make sure someone or something is fine	I will check on the children.
check out	(sep) to leave a hotel, or to examine something	Check out that new restaurant.
check over	(sep) to examine something carefully	The mechanic checked over the engine.
check up on	(insep) to find out how someone is doing	My mother always checks up on me.
cheer on	(sep) to shout support for someone	The fans cheered on their team.
cheer up	(sep) to become happier, or to make happier	Cheer up, things will get better.
chicken out	(insep) to decide not to do something from fear	He chickened out of the bungee jump.
chime in	(insep) to join a conversation with an opinion	Feel free to chime in at any time.
chip in	(insep) to contribute money or help	Everyone chipped in for the gift.
clam up	(insep) to stop talking suddenly	He clams up in interviews.
clamp down on	(insep) to take strong action against something	The city is clamping down on noise.
clean out	(sep) to clean the inside of, or to take everything	I cleaned out the garage this weekend.
clean up	(sep) to make a place clean and tidy	We cleaned up after the party.
clear out	(sep) to remove everything, or to leave quickly	They cleared out the old files.
clear up	(sep) to make clear, or for weather to improve	The sky cleared up after lunch.
close down	(sep) to stop operating permanently	The factory closed down last year.
close in	(insep) to move nearer, often to surround	The hunters closed in on the deer.
close up	(sep) to shut a place for the day	The shop closes up at nine.
come about	(insep) to happen	How did this situation come about?
come across	(insep) to find by chance, or to seem	I came across an old photo today.
come along	(insep) to arrive, or to go with someone	Do you want to come along with us?
come apart	(insep) to break into pieces	The old book came apart in my hands.
come around	(insep) to change your opinion, or to visit	He came around to our way of thinking.
come back	(insep) to return	She came back from Paris yesterday.
come by	(insep) to visit, or to obtain	Good jobs are hard to come by.
come down	(insep) to move to a lower place or level	Prices have come down a lot.
come down on	(insep) to punish or criticize strongly	The judge came down on him hard.
come down to	(insep) to have as the most important factor	It comes down to who works harder.
come down with	(insep) to become ill with	She came down with a cold.
come forward	(insep) to offer help or information	Witnesses came forward after the news.
come from	(insep) to be born or made in a place	This cheese comes from France.
come in	(insep) to enter, or to arrive	Please come in and sit down.
come into	(insep) to enter, or to inherit	He came into a small fortune.
come off	(insep) to become detached, or to succeed	The handle came off the door.
come on	(insep) to encourage someone, or to start working	Come on, we are going to be late.
come out	(insep) to be published, or to become known	Her new book comes out in May.
come out with	(insep) to say something surprising	He came out with a wild idea.
come over	(insep) to visit someone's home	Come over for dinner tonight.
come round	(insep) to visit, or to regain consciousness	She came round after a few minutes.
come through	(insep) to survive, or to arrive as expected	He came through the surgery well.
come to	(insep) to regain consciousness, or to total	The bill comes to $60.
come up	(insep) to rise, or to be mentioned	The sun comes up at six.
come up against	(insep) to face a problem or obstacle	We came up against a few delays.
come up with	(insep) to think of an idea or answer	She came up with a great plan.
cool down	(sep) to become less hot or less angry	Let the soup cool down before eating.
count in	(sep) to include someone in a plan	Count me in for the trip.
count on	(insep) to rely on someone or something	You can count on me for help.
count out	(sep) to exclude someone, or to count one by one	Count me out of the bet.
cover up	(sep) to hide a mistake or crime	They tried to cover up the error.
crack down on	(insep) to act firmly against something	The school cracked down on cheating.
crack up	(sep) to laugh a lot, or to break down mentally	His jokes made everyone crack up.
cross out	(sep) to draw a line through writing	Cross out the wrong answer.
cut back	(sep) to reduce something	We need to cut back on spending.
cut back on	(insep) to reduce the amount of something	I am cutting back on coffee.
cut down	(sep) to reduce, or to chop a tree	They cut down the old tree.
cut down on	(insep) to use less of something	He is cutting down on sugar.
cut in	(insep) to interrupt, or to move in front suddenly	That car cut in without signaling.
cut off	(sep) to remove by cutting, or to disconnect	We were cut off during the call.
cut out	(sep) to remove by cutting, or to stop doing	Cut out the coupon from the paper.
cut up	(sep) to cut into small pieces	She cut up the vegetables for soup.

D

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
deal in	(insep) to buy and sell something	They deal in antique furniture.
deal with	(insep) to handle a problem or person	I will deal with the emails later.
die away	(insep) to become quieter or weaker	The sound of the train died away.
die down	(insep) to become less strong	The wind died down at sunset.
die off	(insep) to die one after another	The old trees are dying off.
die out	(insep) to disappear completely	That tradition is dying out.
dig in	(insep) to start eating with energy	Dinner is ready, so dig in.
dig into	(insep) to start eating, or to examine deeply	We dug into the data for hours.
dig out	(sep) to find something hidden or stored	I dug out my old photos.
dig up	(sep) to remove from the ground, or to find facts	The dog dug up a bone.
dine out	(insep) to eat dinner in a restaurant	We dine out every Friday.
dip into	(insep) to use part of a supply	I dipped into my savings.
dish out	(sep) to serve food, or to give out	She dished out the soup.
dish up	(sep) to serve food from a pan	He dished up the pasta.
dispense with	(insep) to get rid of or do without	We dispensed with the formalities.
dispose of	(insep) to throw away or get rid of	Please dispose of the waste safely.
divvy up	(sep) to divide something among people	They divvied up the prize money.
do away with	(insep) to remove or abolish something	The school did away with uniforms.
do in	(sep) to kill, or to exhaust someone	That long climb did me in.
do out of	(sep) to cheat someone out of something	He was done out of his share.
do over	(sep) to do again, or to decorate again	The teacher made me do it over.
do up	(sep) to fasten, or to repair and decorate	They did up the old house.
do without	(insep) to manage without something	We can do without the noise.
double as	(insep) to have a second use or job	The sofa doubles as a bed.
double back	(insep) to turn and go back the same way	We doubled back to the village.
double down	(insep) to strengthen your commitment	They doubled down on marketing.
double over	(sep) to bend forward in pain or laughter	He doubled over with laughter.
double up	(insep) to share a room or space	We doubled up in one hotel room.
doze off	(insep) to fall asleep without meaning to	I dozed off during the film.
drag in	(sep) to bring someone into a situation	Do not drag me into your argument.
drag on	(insep) to continue for too long	The meeting dragged on for hours.
drag out	(sep) to make something last longer	They dragged out the decision.
draw back	(insep) to move away, or to hesitate	She drew back in surprise.
draw in	(sep) to attract people, or for days to shorten	The show drew in large crowds.
draw on	(insep) to use a resource or experience	She drew on her teaching experience.
draw out	(sep) to make longer, or to encourage to talk	He drew out the interview too long.
draw up	(sep) to prepare a document, or to stop a vehicle	They drew up a new contract.
dream up	(sep) to invent an idea or plan	She dreamed up a clever scheme.
dress down	(insep) to wear informal clothes, or to criticize	We dress down on Fridays.
dress up	(insep) to wear formal or special clothes	The kids dressed up as pirates.
drink in	(sep) to look at or listen with great interest	We drank in the beautiful view.
drink up	(sep) to finish a drink completely	Drink up, we have to leave.
drive at	(insep) to try to say something indirectly	What are you driving at?
drive away	(sep) to force someone to leave	The noise drove away the customers.
drive off	(insep) to leave in a vehicle, or to repel	He drove off without saying goodbye.
drive out	(sep) to force someone out of a place	They drove out the invaders.
drive up	(sep) to cause prices to rise	Demand drove up the price.
drop back	(insep) to fall behind others	He dropped back in the last lap.
drop by	(insep) to visit informally and briefly	Drop by when you are free.
drop in	(insep) to visit without an appointment	She dropped in for tea.
drop off	(sep) to take someone somewhere, or to fall asleep	I dropped off the kids at school.
drop out	(insep) to stop attending or competing	He dropped out of university.
drop over	(insep) to visit someone briefly	Drop over for a coffee sometime.
drum up	(sep) to increase support or business	They drummed up more orders.
dry off	(sep) to make or become dry	I dried off with a towel.
dry out	(sep) to become completely dry	The clothes dried out in the sun.
dry up	(insep) to become completely dry, or to stop	The river dried up in summer.
dumb down	(sep) to make content simpler for more people	They dumbed down the report.
dust off	(sep) to remove dust, or to use again after time	He dusted off his old guitar.

E

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
ease off	(insep) to become less intense	The rain finally eased off.
ease up	(insep) to relax or become less strict	You need to ease up on the pressure.
eat away	(sep) to gradually destroy something	Rust ate away the metal.
eat in	(insep) to eat at home	We ate in last night.
eat into	(insep) to use up part of something	Fees ate into our profits.
eat out	(insep) to eat in a restaurant	They eat out on weekends.
eat up	(sep) to eat all of something	Eat up your vegetables.
edge out	(sep) to defeat by a small amount	She edged out her rival in the race.
egg on	(sep) to encourage someone to do something	The crowd egged him on.
eke out	(sep) to make something last longer	They eked out the food supply.
end in	(insep) to finish with a result	The plan ended in failure.
end up	(insep) to finally be in a place or state	We ended up at a small cafe.
even out	(sep) to become equal or level	The scores evened out by halftime.
even up	(sep) to make things equal	That goal evened up the match.

F

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
face down	(sep) to defeat or deal firmly with	She faced down her critics.
face off	(insep) to compete or argue directly	The two teams face off tonight.
face up to	(insep) to accept and deal with a problem	He must face up to the truth.
fade away	(insep) to disappear gradually	The music faded away.
fade in	(insep) to appear gradually	The image faded in slowly.
fade out	(insep) to disappear gradually	The song fades out at the end.
fall apart	(insep) to break into pieces, or to fail	My old shoes are falling apart.
fall back	(insep) to move backwards, or to decrease	She fell back in the race.
fall back on	(insep) to use as a plan when others fail	We can fall back on our savings.
fall behind	(insep) to fail to keep up	He fell behind with his rent.
fall for	(insep) to be tricked, or to fall in love with	She fell for his lies.
fall in	(insep) to collapse inward	The roof fell in after the storm.
fall in with	(insep) to agree with a plan or group	He fell in with their plans.
fall off	(insep) to decrease, or to drop from a surface	Sales fell off in winter.
fall on	(insep) to happen on a date, or to attack	My birthday falls on a Monday.
fall out	(insep) to have an argument, or to come loose	They fell out over money.
fall over	(insep) to fall to the ground	He tripped and fell over.
fall through	(insep) to fail to happen	The deal fell through at the end.
fall to	(insep) to be someone's duty, or to begin	It fell to me to announce the news.
fend off	(sep) to defend against an attack or question	She fended off the tough questions.
fight back	(insep) to defend yourself, or to hold back	He fought back tears.
fight off	(sep) to resist an illness or attack	She fought off a cold.
figure on	(insep) to plan or expect something	We figured on a two-hour drive.
figure out	(sep) to understand or solve something	I finally figured out the puzzle.
fill in	(sep) to complete a form, or to replace someone	Please fill in this form.
fill out	(sep) to complete a form, or to become fuller	He filled out the application.
fill up	(sep) to make or become completely full	We filled up the tank with gas.
filter out	(sep) to remove something unwanted	The app filters out spam.
find out	(sep) to discover information	I found out the truth.
finish off	(sep) to complete, or to defeat finally	She finished off the report.
finish up	(sep) to complete, or to end somewhere	We finished up with dessert.
fire away	(insep) to start asking questions	Fire away, I am listening.
fire off	(sep) to send quickly, or to shoot	He fired off a quick reply.
fire up	(sep) to start an engine or computer	She fired up her laptop.
fish for	(insep) to try to get something indirectly	He was fishing for compliments.
fit in	(insep) to be accepted by a group	She quickly fit in at work.
fit in with	(insep) to match a plan or group	Your idea fits in with our goals.
fit out	(sep) to supply with equipment	They fitted out the boat for sailing.
fit up	(sep) to equip, or to falsely accuse	The room is fitted up with cameras.
fix up	(sep) to repair, or to arrange	He fixed up the old bicycle.
flag down	(sep) to signal a vehicle to stop	She flagged down a taxi.
flag up	(sep) to draw attention to something	Please flag up any problems.
flare up	(insep) to suddenly become worse or angry	His back pain flared up again.
flesh out	(sep) to add more detail to something	She fleshed out the outline.
flick through	(insep) to look quickly through pages	He flicked through the magazine.
flip out	(insep) to become very angry or excited	She flipped out at the news.
flip over	(sep) to turn something upside down	He flipped over the pancake.
fluff up	(sep) to make something soft and full	She fluffed up the pillows.
focus on	(insep) to give attention to something	Focus on your studies.
follow through	(insep) to complete what you started	He followed through on his promise.
follow up	(sep) to take further action on something	I will follow up with an email.
fool around	(insep) to waste time or behave playfully	Stop fooling around and work.
forge ahead	(insep) to continue with strength	The team forged ahead with the plan.
fork out	(insep) to pay money unwillingly	We forked out $200 for tickets.
freak out	(insep) to become very upset or excited	She freaked out at the spider.
free up	(sep) to make something available	This frees up more time.
freeze over	(insep) to become covered with ice	The lake froze over in winter.
freeze up	(insep) to stop working, or to become stiff	My computer froze up again.
freshen up	(insep) to wash and make yourself tidy	I will freshen up before dinner.
fumble around	(insep) to search awkwardly	He fumbled around for the light switch.
fuss over	(insep) to pay too much attention to	She fusses over her plants.

G

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
gang up	(insep) to join together against someone	They ganged up on the new kid.
gear up	(insep) to prepare for something	The team is gearing up for the final.
get about	(insep) to travel around, or to spread	News gets about quickly.
get across	(sep) to make an idea understood	She got her point across clearly.
get ahead	(insep) to become successful	He works hard to get ahead.
get along	(insep) to have a good relationship	They get along very well.
get around	(insep) to travel, or to avoid a rule	She gets around by bike.
get at	(insep) to suggest indirectly, or to reach	What are you getting at?
get away	(insep) to escape, or to take a break	The thieves got away.
get away with	(insep) to avoid punishment for	You cannot get away with that.
get back	(insep) to return	I got back home late.
get back at	(insep) to take revenge on someone	She got back at him for the joke.
get back to	(insep) to reply later, or to return to	I will get back to you soon.
get behind	(insep) to support, or to fall behind	Everyone got behind the idea.
get by	(insep) to manage with what you have	We get by on a small income.
get down	(sep) to depress, or to lower something	The rain gets me down.
get down to	(insep) to start serious work on	Let us get down to business.
get in	(insep) to enter, or to arrive home	What time did you get in?
get in on	(insep) to join an activity	He wants to get in on the deal.
get into	(insep) to enter, or to become interested in	She got into yoga recently.
get off	(sep) to leave a vehicle, or to escape punishment	We got off the bus at the park.
get on	(insep) to board, or to have a good relationship	They got on the train.
get on with	(insep) to continue, or to have a good relationship	Get on with your homework.
get out	(insep) to leave, or to be published	Get out of the building now.
get out of	(insep) to avoid a duty	He got out of doing the dishes.
get over	(insep) to recover from an illness or loss	She is getting over the flu.
get over with	(sep) to finish something unpleasant	Let us get this over with.
get round	(insep) to travel, or to persuade	She knows how to get round him.
get round to	(insep) to finally find time for	I will get round to it later.
get through	(insep) to complete, or to survive	We got through the hard winter.
get through to	(insep) to reach someone, or to be understood	I finally got through to her.
get together	(insep) to meet with people	We got together for dinner.
get up	(insep) to rise from bed, or to stand	I get up at seven.
get up to	(insep) to do something, often mischievous	What have you been getting up to?
give away	(sep) to donate, or to reveal a secret	She gave away her old clothes.
give back	(sep) to return something to someone	Give back my pen, please.
give in	(insep) to stop resisting or arguing	He finally gave in to their demands.
give off	(sep) to produce a smell, heat, or light	The flowers give off a sweet smell.
give out	(sep) to distribute, or to stop working	They gave out free samples.
give over	(sep) to stop doing something annoying	Give over making that noise.
give up	(sep) to stop trying, or to quit	Do not give up on your dream.
give up on	(insep) to stop hoping for someone or something	She gave up on the plan.
glance through	(insep) to read quickly	He glanced through the notes.
go about	(insep) to start dealing with something	How do I go about applying?
go after	(insep) to chase or try to get	He went after the job.
go against	(insep) to oppose or disagree with	She went against the group's advice.
go ahead	(insep) to proceed, or to happen	Go ahead and start without me.
go along	(insep) to agree, or to accompany	I will go along with your idea.
go along with	(insep) to agree with someone	She went along with the plan.
go around	(insep) to be enough for everyone	There is not enough food to go around.
go at	(insep) to attack or do with energy	He went at the task with enthusiasm.
go away	(insep) to leave, or to disappear	The pain went away after rest.
go back	(insep) to return	We went back to the hotel.
go back on	(insep) to break a promise	He went back on his word.
go by	(insep) to pass, or to follow advice	Time goes by quickly.
go down	(insep) to decrease, or to be received	Prices went down in the sale.
go down with	(insep) to become ill with	Half the class went down with flu.
go for	(insep) to choose, or to attack	I will go for the blue one.
go in for	(insep) to enjoy or take part in	She goes in for long-distance running.
go in with	(insep) to join someone in a plan	They went in with a partner.
go into	(insep) to enter, or to examine in detail	Let us go into the details.
go off	(insep) to explode, or to stop working	The alarm went off at six.
go on	(insep) to continue, or to happen	Please go on with your story.
go on at	(insep) to keep criticizing someone	She is always going on at me.
go out	(insep) to leave home, or to stop burning	We went out for coffee.
go out with	(insep) to date someone	She is going out with Mark.
go over	(insep) to review, or to be received	Let us go over the plan again.
go round	(insep) to visit, or to be enough	There is enough cake to go round.
go through	(insep) to experience, or to examine	She went through a hard time.
go through with	(insep) to complete something difficult	He went through with the surgery.
go under	(insep) to fail, or to sink	The company went under in 2020.
go up	(insep) to increase, or to rise	Rents have gone up again.
go with	(insep) to match, or to choose	That shirt goes with your jeans.
go without	(insep) to manage without something	They went without water for days.
grow apart	(insep) to become less close over time	Old friends often grow apart.
grow into	(insep) to become, or to fit over time	She grew into a confident leader.
grow on	(insep) to become more liked over time	The song grew on me.
grow out of	(insep) to stop doing as you get older	He grew out of that habit.
grow up	(insep) to become an adult	She grew up in Brazil.
guard against	(insep) to protect yourself from something	Wash your hands to guard against infection.

H

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
hack into	(insep) to enter a computer system illegally	Someone hacked into the network.
hammer away	(insep) to keep working hard at something	She hammered away at the problem.
hammer out	(sep) to reach an agreement after discussion	They hammered out a deal.
hand back	(sep) to return something to its owner	He handed back the keys.
hand down	(sep) to pass to the next generation	The watch was handed down to me.
hand in	(sep) to submit work or resign	She handed in her essay.
hand out	(sep) to distribute to people	They handed out flyers on the street.
hand over	(sep) to give control or possession to	He handed over the documents.
hang about	(insep) to wait or stay without purpose	Do not hang about in the cold.
hang around	(insep) to stay in a place doing little	They hung around after class.
hang back	(insep) to stay behind, or to hesitate	She hung back from the crowd.
hang in	(insep) to keep going despite difficulty	Hang in there, help is coming.
hang on	(insep) to wait, or to hold tightly	Hang on a moment, please.
hang out	(insep) to spend time relaxing	We hang out at the cafe.
hang over	(insep) to remain a threat or worry	The deadline hung over us.
hang up	(sep) to end a phone call	She hung up angrily.
hash out	(sep) to discuss something in detail	We hashed out the details.
head for	(insep) to move toward a place or outcome	We are heading for the coast.
head off	(sep) to prevent something, or to leave	They headed off a crisis.
head up	(sep) to lead a team or project	She heads up the sales team.
hear about	(insep) to learn news about something	I heard about the accident.
hear from	(insep) to receive a message from	I heard from my sister today.
hear of	(insep) to know that something exists	I have never heard of that band.
heat up	(sep) to make or become hot	I heated up the leftovers.
help out	(sep) to give help to someone	She helped out at the shop.
hide away	(sep) to put or keep in a secret place	He hid away the cash.
hinge on	(insep) to depend entirely on	The deal hinges on their approval.
hit back	(insep) to respond to an attack	The company hit back with a lawsuit.
hit it off	(insep) to like each other immediately	We hit it off at the party.
hit on	(insep) to discover by chance, or to flirt	She hit on a great idea.
hit out	(insep) to criticize strongly	The coach hit out at the referee.
hold back	(sep) to stop yourself, or to delay	She held back her tears.
hold down	(sep) to keep a job, or to prevent rising	He held down two jobs.
hold forth	(insep) to speak at length	He held forth on politics all night.
hold off	(sep) to delay, or to keep away	They held off making a decision.
hold on	(insep) to wait, or to grip tightly	Hold on, I am coming.
hold onto	(insep) to keep something	Hold onto your receipt.
hold out	(insep) to resist, or to last	The defenders held out for days.
hold over	(sep) to delay to a later time	The meeting was held over.
hold up	(sep) to delay, or to rob, or to support	Traffic held us up.
hold with	(insep) to approve of something	I do not hold with that view.
hone in on	(insep) to focus closely on	The study hones in on costs.
hook up	(sep) to connect equipment, or to meet	We hooked up the new TV.
hurry up	(insep) to do something faster	Hurry up, we are late.
hush up	(sep) to keep something secret	They hushed up the scandal.

I

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
ice over	(insep) to become covered with ice	The windows iced over at night.
inch forward	(insep) to move forward very slowly	The traffic inched forward.
iron out	(sep) to solve small problems	We ironed out the last issues.

J

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
jack up	(sep) to raise, or to increase a price	They jacked up the price.
jam in	(sep) to push something into a tight space	We jammed in one more chair.
jazz up	(sep) to make more exciting	Let us jazz up the design.
jockey for	(insep) to compete for an advantage	Candidates jockeyed for position.
jot down	(sep) to write quickly	I jotted down her number.
jump at	(insep) to accept eagerly	She jumped at the offer.
jump in	(insep) to join suddenly, or to interrupt	Feel free to jump in with ideas.
jump on	(insep) to criticize, or to board quickly	He jumped on every mistake.
jump out	(insep) to be very noticeable	The error jumped out at me.

K

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
keel over	(insep) to fall over suddenly	He keeled over from the heat.
keep at	(insep) to continue working on	Keep at it, you are improving.
keep away	(insep) to stay at a distance	Keep away from the edge.
keep back	(sep) to hold back or not reveal	She kept back the bad news.
keep down	(sep) to control, or to stay quiet	Keep the noise down, please.
keep from	(insep) to prevent, or to avoid doing	I could not keep from laughing.
keep in	(sep) to make a student stay after class	The teacher kept him in.
keep off	(insep) to avoid, or to stay away from	Keep off the grass.
keep on	(insep) to continue doing something	Keep on trying, you will succeed.
keep out	(insep) to stay outside, or to prevent entry	Keep out of my room.
keep to	(insep) to follow a plan or promise	Keep to the speed limit.
keep up	(sep) to continue, or to maintain	Keep up the good work.
keep up with	(insep) to stay at the same level as	It is hard to keep up with the news.
kick around	(sep) to discuss informally, or to travel	We kicked around a few ideas.
kick back	(insep) to relax	We kicked back by the pool.
kick in	(insep) to start working, or to contribute	The heating kicked in at eight.
kick off	(sep) to start, or to begin a game	The match kicks off at three.
kick out	(sep) to force someone to leave	He was kicked out of the club.
kick up	(sep) to cause a fuss or dust	She kicked up a fuss about it.
kid around	(insep) to joke or play	I was just kidding around.
kill off	(sep) to destroy completely	The frost killed off the plants.
kiss up to	(insep) to flatter someone for favor	He is always kissing up to the boss.
knock about	(sep) to hit repeatedly, or to travel	He knocked about Europe for a year.
knock back	(sep) to drink quickly, or to reject	She knocked back her coffee.
knock down	(sep) to destroy, or to reduce a price	They knocked down the old wall.
knock off	(sep) to stop work, or to reduce price	We knock off at five.
knock out	(sep) to make unconscious, or to impress	The boxer knocked out his rival.
knock over	(sep) to hit and make fall	She knocked over the glass.
know of	(insep) to have heard about something	I know of a good restaurant.

L

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
land in	(insep) to end up in trouble	His jokes landed him in trouble.
land up	(insep) to finally arrive or end up	We landed up in the old town.
lap up	(sep) to enjoy or believe eagerly	The crowd lapped up every word.
lash out	(insep) to attack suddenly with words or blows	He lashed out at the critics.
laugh at	(insep) to make fun of someone	Do not laugh at his accent.
laugh off	(sep) to treat as not serious	She laughed off the question.
launch into	(insep) to start something with energy	He launched into a long speech.
lay down	(sep) to put down, or to establish rules	The manager laid down the rules.
lay into	(insep) to attack with words	She laid into him for being late.
lay off	(sep) to stop employing, or to stop doing	The factory laid off 100 workers.
lay on	(sep) to provide or arrange	They laid on food for everyone.
lay out	(sep) to arrange, or to spend money	She laid out the plans clearly.
lay over	(insep) to stop briefly on a journey	We laid over in Chicago.
lead off	(insep) to start something	The singer led off the show.
lead on	(sep) to mislead someone romantically	He led her on for months.
lead up to	(insep) to come before and cause	Events led up to the strike.
lean on	(insep) to depend on, or to pressure	She leans on her friends for support.
lean towards	(insep) to favor an option	I am leaning towards the red car.
leave behind	(sep) to forget or not take something	Do not leave your phone behind.
leave for	(insep) to depart to a place	We leave for Paris tomorrow.
leave off	(insep) to stop doing something	She left off reading at page ten.
leave out	(sep) to not include someone or something	Leave out the salt.
lend out	(sep) to give something to borrow	He lent out his tools to a neighbor.
let down	(sep) to disappoint, or to lower	Do not let me down.
let in	(sep) to allow someone to enter	She let in the cat.
let in on	(sep) to share a secret with	They let me in on the plan.
let off	(sep) to not punish, or to release	He was let off with a warning.
let on	(insep) to reveal a secret	She did not let on about the surprise.
let out	(sep) to release, or to make wider	He let out a long sigh.
let up	(insep) to become less intense	The rain has not let up all day.
level off	(insep) to stop rising or falling	Prices leveled off in spring.
level with	(insep) to be honest with someone	Level with me about the cost.
lie around	(insep) to be left untidy	Books lie around the room.
lie down	(insep) to rest in a flat position	I need to lie down for a while.
lie in	(insep) to stay in bed longer	We lay in on Sunday morning.
light up	(sep) to become bright or happy	Her face lit up with joy.
lighten up	(insep) to become less serious	Lighten up, it was only a joke.
line up	(sep) to arrange in a line, or to organize	We lined up tickets for the show.
link up	(sep) to connect, or to meet	The two teams linked up online.
listen in	(insep) to listen secretly	Someone was listening in on the call.
listen out	(insep) to listen carefully for a sound	Listen out for the doorbell.
live down	(sep) to stop being embarrassed by	He never lived down that mistake.
live for	(insep) to value something above all	She lives for her music.
live off	(insep) to get money or food from	He lives off his parents.
live on	(insep) to survive on, or to continue	They lived on rice and beans.
live out	(sep) to do what you dreamed of	She lived out her dream.
live up to	(insep) to meet expectations	The film lived up to the hype.
load down	(sep) to give someone too much to carry	They loaded me down with gifts.
load up	(sep) to fill a vehicle or device	We loaded up the car for the trip.
lock away	(sep) to put in a safe place, or to imprison	She locked away her jewelry.
lock in	(sep) to fix a rate or price	We locked in a low rate.
lock out	(sep) to prevent someone from entering	He locked himself out of the house.
lock up	(sep) to close and secure a building	Lock up before you leave.
log in	(insep) to enter a system with a username	Log in with your email.
log off	(insep) to end a computer session	Remember to log off at the end.
log on	(insep) to connect to a system	She logged on to check messages.
log out	(insep) to exit a system	Log out of the shared account.
look after	(insep) to take care of someone or something	She looks after her little brother.
look ahead	(insep) to think about the future	We need to look ahead and plan.
look around	(insep) to explore a place	We looked around the museum.
look at	(insep) to examine or consider	Look at this photo.
look back	(insep) to think about the past	She looked back on her school days.
look down on	(insep) to think you are better than	He looks down on fast food.
look for	(insep) to search for something	I am looking for my keys.
look forward to	(insep) to be excited about something	I look forward to your visit.
look in	(insep) to visit briefly	Look in on grandma today.
look into	(insep) to investigate something	The police looked into the case.
look like	(insep) to resemble, or to seem	It looks like rain.
look on	(insep) to watch without joining	The crowd looked on in silence.
look out	(insep) to be careful	Look out, there is a car.
look out for	(insep) to watch for, or to protect	Look out for the signs.
look over	(sep) to examine quickly	Could you look over my report?
look round	(insep) to explore a place	We looked round the market.
look through	(insep) to search through papers	She looked through her notes.
look to	(insep) to rely on, or to aim to	We look to you for guidance.
look up	(sep) to search for information	Look up the word in a dictionary.
look up to	(insep) to admire someone	Kids look up to their teachers.
loosen up	(insep) to relax, or to warm up muscles	Loosen up before the race.
luck out	(insep) to be very lucky	We lucked out with the weather.

M

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
make for	(insep) to move toward, or to result in	They made for the exit.
make into	(sep) to change into something else	They made the garage into a studio.
make of	(insep) to understand or think of	What do you make of the news?
make off	(insep) to leave quickly	The thief made off with the cash.
make off with	(insep) to steal something and leave	They made off with the laptop.
make out	(sep) to see or understand, or to claim	I could not make out the sign.
make over	(sep) to change the appearance of	They made over the kitchen.
make up	(sep) to invent, or to become friends again	She made up a funny story.
make up for	(insep) to compensate for something	Good food makes up for the long trip.
make up with	(insep) to end a quarrel with	He made up with his sister.
mark down	(sep) to reduce a price	The shop marked down the coats.
mark off	(sep) to show the limits of an area	They marked off the parking spaces.
mark out	(sep) to show boundaries, or to choose	She was marked out as a leader.
mark up	(sep) to increase a price	Stores mark up prices at holiday time.
marry into	(insep) to become part of a family by marriage	She married into a rich family.
mash up	(sep) to crush into a soft mass	Mash up the bananas.
match up	(insep) to be equal or similar	The colors match up nicely.
measure up	(insep) to be good enough	The new player measured up to expectations.
melt away	(insep) to disappear gradually	Her fears melted away.
melt down	(sep) to heat metal until liquid	They melted down the old coins.
mess about	(insep) to waste time or play	Stop messing about and help me.
mess around	(insep) to waste time, or to have an affair	We messed around all afternoon.
mess up	(sep) to make dirty or make a mistake	I messed up the recipe.
mess with	(insep) to interfere with, or to annoy	Do not mess with my files.
miss out	(insep) to lose a chance	Do not miss out on the sale.
miss out on	(insep) to fail to get or experience	She missed out on the prize.
mix in	(sep) to add and combine	Mix in the sugar slowly.
mix up	(sep) to confuse, or to combine	I mixed up the two names.
mop up	(sep) to clean with a mop, or to finish	She mopped up the spill.
mount up	(insep) to increase over time	The bills are mounting up.
mouth off	(insep) to speak rudely or loudly	He mouthed off to the coach.
move about	(insep) to change position or place	She moves about for work.
move along	(insep) to continue moving forward	Move along, do not block the door.
move around	(insep) to change location often	He moves around a lot for his job.
move away	(insep) to go to live elsewhere	They moved away last year.
move in	(insep) to start living in a place	We moved in on the first of May.
move in on	(insep) to try to take control of	Rivals moved in on the market.
move off	(insep) to start moving away	The train moved off slowly.
move on	(insep) to progress to something new	Let us move on to the next topic.
move out	(insep) to leave a home	She moved out of her parents' house.
move over	(insep) to change position to make room	Move over so I can sit down.
move up	(insep) to get promoted or rise	He moved up to manager.
mow down	(sep) to knock down in large numbers	The car mowed down the fence.
muck up	(sep) to spoil or make dirty	I mucked up the whole plan.
muscle in	(insep) to force your way into something	Big firms muscled in on the market.
muster up	(sep) to gather courage or energy	She mustered up the courage to speak.

500 Most Common Phrasal Verbs: Full List with Meanings

Why Phrasal Verbs Matter

How to Study This List

How This List Was Compiled

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