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When my students ask me for a phrasal verb reference, they want one thing: a list they can quickly search without wading through a paragraph explaining separability. This guide collects over 400 of the most useful phrasal verbs in English, organized alphabetically with clear definitions and example sentences. Whether you’re preparing for a speaking test, writing an email, or just trying to understand what a native speaker said, this reference will save you from the dictionary every time. For more, see our English job interview tips. For more, see our business English guide.
The phrasal verbs here range from everyday conversation verbs like “get up” to more specialized business and academic terms. I’ve focused on verbs that actually appear in real English — not obscure combinations you’ll never hear. Use this as both a study resource and a quick-lookup tool when you encounter a phrasal verb you don’t immediately recognize.
Key Takeaways
- Organize by particle, not base verb — Grouping all “up” verbs together helps you remember patterns faster than memorizing by verb.
- Context determines meaning — “Pick up” can mean lift, collect, learn, or improve. Always read the example sentence to understand current meaning.
- Frequency matters for learning priority — The first 50 phrasal verbs in any list cover ~80% of everyday conversation; focus there first.
- Register varies — Some verbs like “follow up” are business standard; others like “chill out” are only informal.
- Use this list as a reference, not a memorization task — Skim when you need, study in clusters of 5–10 related verbs.
What Are Phrasal Verbs? Quick Review
A phrasal verb is an English verb composed of two or three words. One main verb combines with a particle (a preposition or adverb) like “on,” “in,” “under,” “up,” “down,” or “away.” The resulting phrase often has a meaning very different from the individual words.
Examples:
- Maria didn’t know the word, so she looked it up in the dictionary.
- Oh no, we’ve run out of milk! I’ll have to buy some more.
- Farmers have to get up early in the morning.
- The rocket took off with a loud roar.
Most Common Phrasal Verbs Used in English
Here are the most frequent phrasal verbs in everyday English. These 50+ verbs should be your priority for learning:
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Come across | Encounter by chance; find unexpectedly | I came across an old photo while cleaning. |
| Run into | Encounter unexpectedly; bump into | I ran into an old friend at the store. |
| Turn up | Arrive; appear; increase volume or intensity | The heat turned up in the summer. |
| Show up | Arrive; appear; make an appearance | She showed up late to the meeting. |
| Put off | Postpone; delay; discourage | Don’t put off studying until the last minute. |
| Look after | Take care of; care for; watch over | She looks after her younger siblings. |
| Look for | Search for; seek | I’m looking for my keys. |
| Look forward to | Anticipate with pleasure; expect happily | I’m looking forward to the weekend. |
| Look up | Research; seek information; improve | I’ll look up the definition in the dictionary. |
| Take after | Resemble; be similar to (parent or relative) | She takes after her mother. |
| Take off | Remove; depart; become successful; become popular | The plane took off on time. |
| Take on | Accept responsibility; hire; employ | She took on a new project at work. |
| Take out | Remove; take to an entertainment venue; extract | I took out the trash this morning. |
| Take over | Assume control; take responsibility for | He took over as manager last month. |
| Take up | Start a hobby; begin; occupy space or time | She took up painting as a hobby. |
| Throw away | Discard; throw out; waste | Don’t throw away that plastic bottle. |
| Throw out | Discard; eject; remove forcefully | He threw out all the old clothes. |
| Try on | Test clothing by wearing; experiment | She tried on several dresses before buying one. |
| Turn down | Reject; refuse; reduce (volume, heat, intensity) | She turned down the job offer. |
| Turn off | Stop operating; deactivate; cause to lose interest | Turn off the lights when you leave. |
| Turn on | Start operating; activate; excite; arouse | Turn on the TV to watch the news. |
| Wake up | Awaken from sleep; become aware; realize | I wake up at 7 a.m. every morning. |
| Wear out | Make tired; exhaust; wear until no longer usable | The long hike wore me out. |
| Work out | Exercise; solve; calculate; succeed | I work out at the gym three times a week. |
| Work up | Build up gradually; develop; arouse (anger or enthusiasm) | She worked up the courage to apply for the job. |
Comprehensive Phrasal Verbs Reference List (A–Z)
Below are hundreds of phrasal verbs organized alphabetically. Each entry includes the phrasal verb, its primary meaning, and at least one example sentence. This list serves as both a learning resource and a quick-reference guide.
How to use this list: Search by the base verb (first word). If you see “break,” find all phrasal verbs starting with “break” (break down, break in, break out, etc.). Group related phrasal verbs together when studying — verbs with the same particle often share similar meaning patterns.
A–B Phrasal Verbs
- Add up — Make sense; total to; result in
- Back up — Support; reverse; make a copy of
- Bear with — Be patient with; tolerate
- Blow up — Explode; inflate; become angry suddenly
- Break down — Stop functioning; fail; analyze; cry emotionally
- Break in — Enter forcefully; train or accustom to use; interrupt
- Break out — Escape; erupt suddenly; emerge
- Bring out — Make visible; reveal; publish; enhance
- Bring up — Raise (children); mention a topic; vomit
- Brush up — Refresh knowledge; improve skill; clean
- Burn out — Stop functioning from overuse; become exhausted; exhaust
- Buy out — Purchase all shares; purchase completely
C–D Phrasal Verbs
- Calm down — Become less agitated; relax; soothe
- Call back — Return a telephone call; call again
- Call off — Cancel; call a halt to
- Call on — Ask to do something; visit; appeal to
- Carry on — Continue; proceed; behave
- Carry out — Execute; perform; accomplish
- Catch up — Draw level; reach the same stage as another
- Check in — Register at a hotel or airport; report arrival
- Check out — Leave a hotel; examine; verify
- Chip in — Contribute; add a remark; help financially
- Clean up — Tidy; remove dirt; make profits
- Clear out — Remove all contents; empty; leave hurriedly
- Clear up — Become clear; resolve; tidy
- Close down — Stop operating; shut permanently
- Come about — Happen; occur; (nautical) change direction
- Come by — Obtain; acquire; visit briefly
- Come in — Enter; arrive; become fashionable
- Come out — Be released; emerge; become public
- Come up — Rise; occur; be mentioned
- Come up with — Produce; invent; suggest
- Count on — Rely on; depend on; expect
- Cross out — Draw a line through; delete; cancel
- Cut in — Interrupt; intrude; overtake
- Cut off — Disconnect; interrupt; stop supply
- Cut out — Stop doing; cease; remove by cutting
- Die down — Decrease in intensity; diminish; subside
- Die out — Become extinct; disappear completely
- Dig into — Investigate; delve into; begin eating
- Dish out — Distribute; serve; dispense
- Do away with — Eliminate; abolish; kill
- Do over — Redecorate; redo; repeat
- Do up — Fasten; renovate; decorate
- Do without — Manage without; dispense with
- Draw up — Prepare a document; come to a stop; (vehicles)
- Dress up — Put on formal clothes; disguise; elaborate
- Drop by — Visit casually; call in
- Drop in — Visit unexpectedly; call in casually
- Drop off — Fall asleep; deliver; decline
- Drop out — Quit; withdraw; cease attending
E–F Phrasal Verbs
- Eat away — Erode; consume gradually
- Eat out — Dine at a restaurant
- Fall apart — Disintegrate; break into pieces; collapse emotionally
- Fall behind — Get left behind; lag; fail to keep pace
- Fall for — Fall in love with; be deceived by
- Fall off — Decrease; decline; drop from
- Fill in — Complete a form; provide information; substitute
- Fill out — Complete (a form); expand
- Fill up — Fill completely; become full
- Find out — Discover; learn; investigate
- Finish off — Complete; consume the last of; defeat finally
- Finish up — Complete; end; consume completely
- Fit in — Find time for; harmonize with; belong
- Fix up — Repair; arrange; renovate
- Follow through — Complete an action; persist to the end
G–H Phrasal Verbs
- Get across — Communicate effectively; make understood
- Get along — Have a good relationship; manage; progress
- Get around — Move from place to place; avoid; circumvent
- Get away — Escape; go on vacation; break free
- Get back — Return; regain; retaliate
- Get by — Manage; cope; survive with limited means
- Get down — Dismount; write down; depress
- Get off — Descend from; leave a vehicle; escape punishment
- Get on — Climb aboard; have a good relationship; advance
- Get out — Exit; leave; escape; become known
- Get over — Recover from; overcome; communicate
- Get through — Complete; endure; reach by phone
- Get up — Rise from bed; stand up; organize
- Give back — Return; refund
- Give in — Surrender; yield; concede
- Give out — Distribute; emit; run out of supply
- Give up — Stop trying; surrender; quit; relinquish
- Give away — Give for free; reveal; betray
- Go away — Depart; leave; disappear
- Go back — Return; retreat; date from
- Go by — Elapse; pass; follow; judge by
- Go in — Enter; go inside
- Go out — Exit; go to an entertainment; stop burning
- Go over — Review carefully; examine; succeed
- Go through — Experience; endure; examine thoroughly
- Go with — Accompany; match; coordinate with
- Grow up — Mature; develop from childhood; reach adulthood
- Hand in — Submit; deliver; turn in (homework)
- Hand out — Distribute; dispense; hand to someone
- Hand over — Give control of; surrender; relinquish
- Hang around — Spend time idly; loiter; stay nearby
- Hang on — Hold tightly; wait; persist
- Hang out — Spend time together informally; relax
- Have on — Wear; have arranged; be scheduled
- Have out — Have extracted; have a discussion
- Help out — Assist; give aid; support
- Hold off — Delay; refrain; resist
- Hold on — Wait; grip tightly; persist
- Hold out — Resist; refuse to give in; last
- Hold up — Support; delay; rob; last
- Hurry up — Hasten; go faster; speed up
I–K Phrasal Verbs
- Iron out — Resolve; smooth out difficulties; eliminate
- Keep away — Stay distant from; prevent from entering
- Keep on — Continue; persist; keep wearing
- Keep out — Prevent entry; stay outside; exclude
- Keep up — Maintain pace; continue; keep from falling
L–M Phrasal Verbs
- Lay off — Dismiss from employment; refrain from; stop
- Lay out — Arrange; plan; prepare; display
- Let down — Disappoint; lower; deflate
- Let in — Allow to enter; admit
- Let out — Release; allow to exit; rent out
- Level off — Become steady; stabilize; plateau
- Look into — Investigate; research; examine
- Make out — Discern; understand; succeed; kiss
- Make up — Reconcile; invent; cosmetics; constitute
- Make up for — Compensate for; make amends; pay back
- Mark up — Increase price; add marks to a document
- Mix up — Confuse; blend; prepare by mixing
- Move on — Proceed further; advance; go to next activity
- Move out — Vacate; leave a residence; relocate
N–P Phrasal Verbs
- Narrow down — Reduce options; limit; make more specific
- Pay back — Repay; retaliate against
- Pay off — Repay completely; yield results; bribe
- Pay out — Disburse; spend money; distribute
- Pick up — Lift; collect; learn; improve; accelerate
- Point out — Indicate; direct attention to; mention
- Put away — Store; stow; put in storage; eat/drink quickly
- Put off — Postpone; delay; discourage; repel
- Put on — Don; wear; apply; gain weight; organize
- Put out — Extinguish; publish; inconvenience; produce
- Put through — Connect by phone; endure; subject to
- Put up — Erect; construct; accommodate; tolerate
- Put up with — Tolerate; endure; accept
Q–R Phrasal Verbs
- Quit on — Abandon; stop trying; give up on
- Rack up — Accumulate; amass; achieve
- Reach out — Extend; contact; communicate with
- Read out — Read aloud; recite
- Ring up — Call by phone; record on a cash register
- Roll out — Unfold; introduce; launch; deploy
- Rule out — Eliminate; exclude; dismiss as impossible
- Run down — Criticize; exhaust; chase down; hit
- Run out — Exhaust supply; deplete
- Run out of — Deplete a supply; have no more
- Run over — Hit with a vehicle; exceed; review quickly
S–T Phrasal Verbs
- Save up — Accumulate money; store for later
- Set off — Begin a journey; trigger; cause
- Set out — Begin; start; arrange
- Set up — Establish; arrange; organize; prepare
- Show up — Arrive; appear; become visible
- Sort out — Organize; resolve; arrange
- Speed up — Accelerate; go faster; increase pace
- Stand up — Rise; get up; endure; fail to meet
- Start off — Begin; commence; embark on
- Start out — Begin; commence; set forth
- Stick to — Adhere to; remain faithful to; stay with
- Stick up — Protrude; stand upright; rob
- Stop by — Visit briefly; call in casually
- Store up — Accumulate; hoard; save for later
- Straighten out — Clarify; resolve; correct
- Take after — Resemble; be similar to (a relative)
- Take off — Remove; depart; become popular; succeed
- Take on — Accept; undertake; hire; employ
- Take out — Remove; extract; take to entertainment
- Take over — Assume control; take charge; substitute
- Take up — Begin a hobby; start; occupy; adopt
- Talk over — Discuss thoroughly; converse about
- Tell apart — Distinguish between; differentiate
- Think over — Consider carefully; ponder; reflect
- Throw away — Discard; waste; dispose of
- Throw out — Discard; eject; suggest for consideration
- Throw up — Vomit; construct hastily; abandon
- Tidy up — Clean up; organize; arrange neatly
- Tied up — Busy; occupied; in use
- Trade in — Give as part of payment; exchange
- Try on — Test by wearing; experiment with
- Try out — Test; experiment; audition
- Tune in — Listen to; watch; adjust a receiver
- Tune out — Stop paying attention; ignore; adjust off
- Turn in — Submit; go to bed; deliver to authorities
- Turn off — Stop operating; deactivate; repel
- Turn on — Start operating; activate; excite
- Turn out — Produce; result; attend; extinguish
- Turn over — Flip; overturn; transfer; consider
- Turn up — Arrive; appear; increase (volume)
U–W Phrasal Verbs
- Use up — Consume completely; deplete; exhaust
- Wake up — Awaken; arouse; become aware
- Warm up — Heat; prepare muscles; become friendly
- Wash out — Rinse clean; eliminate; fail
- Wear out — Exhaust; tire; damage from use
- Wear out — Become tired; become damaged; exhaust
- Weigh down — Burden; press down; depress emotionally
- Weigh in — Contribute opinion; weigh; add weight
- Work on — Focus on; improve; attempt to persuade
- Work out — Exercise; solve; succeed; calculate
- Work up — Develop gradually; arouse; build up
- Worry about — Be concerned about; feel anxious
- Write down — Record in writing; note
Using Phrasal Verbs in Context: Register and Formality
Phrasal verbs range from very informal to quite formal. Knowing when to use each helps you sound natural and appropriate.
Register Note: Informal phrasal verbs like “hang out,” “chill out,” and “veg out” are perfect for casual conversation but inappropriate for job interviews or business proposals. Formal contexts favor single verbs: use “investigate” instead of “look into,” “examine” instead of “go through,” “implement” instead of “put in place.”
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
✗ Incorrect: “I will look into about the problem.”
✓ Correct: “I will look into the problem.” or “I will look into it.”
Why: “Look into” is a three-word phrasal verb. You don’t need “about” — “into” serves that function.
✗ Incorrect: “She picked up her children up from school.”
✓ Correct: “She picked up her children from school.” or “She picked her children up from school.”
Why: “Pick up” is separable, so the object can go between the verb and particle, but not after both parts are already separated.
✗ Incorrect: “We have run out milk.”
✓ Correct: “We have run out of milk.”
Why: “Run out of” is a three-word phrasal verb. The preposition “of” is required and cannot be omitted.
✗ Incorrect: “That TV show turned me on off.”
✓ Correct: “That TV show turned me off.” or “That TV show didn’t appeal to me.”
Why: “Turn off” (meaning “repel” or “cease to interest”) doesn’t change based on pronouns. Don’t confuse this with separable phrasal verbs.
Sample Dialogue
Sarah: I don’t understand. There are so many phrasal verbs! How am I supposed to remember them all?
Teacher: You don’t need to memorize all 400 at once. Focus on the top 50 — those cover daily life. Then group them by particle.
Sarah: By particle?
Teacher: Yes. All “up” verbs share a theme: increase, completion, or standing. All “out” verbs share: removal, exhaustion, or emergence. When you see “work out,” your brain already expects “exercise” or “solve a problem” based on the particle “out.”
Sarah: That makes sense. So I should learn the particles first?
Teacher: Exactly. Master particles, then fill in the verbs. It’s faster and more effective than memorizing randomly.
Quick Quiz
Quick Quiz
- Which sentence is correct: (a) “I’m looking forward about the trip” or (b) “I’m looking forward to the trip”?
- What does “run out of” mean? Write your own sentence.
- Is “turn off” (meaning “repel”) separable? Why or why not?
- Name three phrasal verbs with the particle “up” and write their meanings.
- Which would be more appropriate in formal writing: (a) “check out the report” or (b) “examine the report”?
Answers: 1. (b) “I’m looking forward to the trip.” · 2. Exhaust a supply (e.g., “We ran out of coffee”). · 3. No, it’s not; “turn off” (repel) is intransitive. · 4. Cheer up (become happy), grow up (mature), pick up (learn), turn up (arrive). · 5. (b) “examine” — more formal for professional writing.
Related Articles
- A Complete Guide to Phrasal Verbs — detailed explanation of types and rules
- Learn Phrasal Verbs Through Stories — context-based learning approach
- English Phrasal Verbs (Pillar) — back to main pillar
Frequently Asked Questions
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