Phrasal Verbs

Learn phrasal verbs to boost your language proficiency.

Back off
- Meaning: To move away or stop being involved in a situation.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The dog started growling, so I had to back off slowly.
  2. You need to back off and let her make her own decisions.
  3. The manager told the aggressive customer to back off.
Bail out
- Meaning: To escape from a difficult situation; to provide financial assistance to prevent failure.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. When the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, the government decided to bail it out.
  2. He had to bail out of the project because of personal issues.
  3. She bailed him out of jail after his arrest.
Bear with
- Meaning: To be patient and wait.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Please bear with me while I find the information you requested.
  2. I know the process is long, but bear with us; we’re almost done.
  3. Bear with me for a moment while I check our records.
Blow away
- Meaning: To impress greatly; to move or be moved by the wind.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The performance was so amazing, it just blew me away.
  2. The strong winds blew away the leaves in the yard.
  3. Her speech blew the audience away with its profound message.
Break down
- Meaning: To stop functioning; to analyze in detail.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The car broke down in the middle of the highway.
  2. He broke down the complex problem into smaller, manageable parts.
  3. She broke down in tears after hearing the sad news.
Bring up
- Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic; to raise a child.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She brought up an interesting point during the meeting.
  2. They decided to bring up their children in the countryside.
  3. Don’t bring up that argument again; it’s already settled.
Brush off
- Meaning: To dismiss or ignore someone or something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He tried to talk to her, but she brushed him off.
  2. The manager brushed off their concerns about the new policy.
  3. She brushed off the dust from her jacket.
Burn out
- Meaning: To become exhausted or overworked.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. If you keep working these long hours, you’re going to burn out.
  2. The light bulb burnt out after a few months of use.
  3. He felt completely burnt out after the intensive training program.
Call off
- Meaning: To cancel something that was planned.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. They had to call off the picnic due to the bad weather.
  2. The strike was called off after the agreement was reached.
  3. She called off the meeting at the last minute.
Calm down
- Meaning: To become or make someone less agitated or excited.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The teacher asked the students to calm down after the fire drill.
  2. He took a deep breath to calm down before speaking.
  3. She calmed the baby down by rocking him gently.
Carry on
- Meaning: To continue doing something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Despite the interruptions, they decided to carry on with the meeting.
  2. The doctor advised him to carry on with his usual activities.
  3. She carried on singing even after the music stopped.
Check in
- Meaning: To register or report one’s arrival.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. We need to check in at the hotel before 3 PM.
  2. She checked in with her boss to update him on the project.
  3. Don’t forget to check in at the front desk when you arrive.
Check out
- Meaning: To leave and pay for accommodations; to look at or examine.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. We will check out of the hotel at noon.
  2. You should check out that new restaurant downtown.
  3. He checked out the book from the library.
Chicken out
- Meaning: To decide not to do something because of fear.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He was going to ask her out, but he chickened out at the last minute.
  2. She wanted to try skydiving but chickened out when she saw how high it was.
  3. They almost went bungee jumping, but then they chickened out.
Clam up
- Meaning: To become silent, usually due to nervousness or reluctance.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. When the police started questioning him, he clammed up.
  2. She clammed up during the interview and couldn’t answer the questions.
  3. He tends to clam up whenever someone mentions his past.
Come across
- Meaning: To find or meet by chance; to give a certain impression.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. I came across an old friend while I was shopping yesterday.
  2. She came across as very confident during the presentation.
  3. While cleaning the attic, they came across a box of old photos.
Come up
- Meaning: To be mentioned or discussed; to arise or occur.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. His name came up during the meeting.
  2. Something urgent has come up, and I need to leave.
  3. The topic of climate change came up in our conversation.
Count on
- Meaning: To rely on or trust someone or something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. You can count on me to help you with your project.
  2. We are counting on good weather for our picnic.
  3. She counts on her friends for support.
Cut back
- Meaning: To reduce the amount of something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. We need to cut back on our spending to save money.
  2. He cut back on sugar to improve his health.
  3. The company is cutting back on unnecessary expenses.
Cut down
- Meaning: To reduce the size or amount of something; to remove by cutting.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The doctor advised him to cut down on fatty foods.
  2. They decided to cut down the old tree in their yard.
  3. She is trying to cut down on her screen time.
Drop by
- Meaning: To visit someone informally and usually without scheduling a specific time.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Feel free to drop by my office if you have any questions.
  2. He decided to drop by his friend’s house on his way home.
  3. She often drops by to check on her elderly neighbor.
Drop out
- Meaning: To leave school or an activity before finishing.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He decided to drop out of college and start working.
  2. She dropped out of the race due to an injury.
  3. Many students drop out before completing their degrees.
Ease up
- Meaning: To become less intense or severe; to relax or slow down.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. You need to ease up on the criticism and be more supportive.
  2. The storm finally eased up after several hours.
  3. He decided to ease up on his workload to reduce stress.
Fall apart
- Meaning: To break into pieces; to become emotionally distraught.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The old book was so fragile that it fell apart in my hands.
  2. She fell apart after hearing the tragic news.
  3. The company began to fall apart after the CEO resigned.
Fall behind
- Meaning: To fail to keep up with a schedule or with others.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He fell behind in his studies and had to repeat the course.
  2. She fell behind on her mortgage payments.
  3. The project fell behind schedule due to unexpected delays.
Figure out
- Meaning: To understand or solve something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. I need to figure out how to fix this computer issue.
  2. She finally figured out the answer to the puzzle.
  3. We must figure out a way to reduce our expenses.
Fill in
- Meaning: To provide information; to temporarily replace someone.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Can you fill in the details on this form?
  2. She will fill in for the manager while he is on vacation.
  3. Please fill me in on what happened at the meeting.
Find out
- Meaning: To discover or learn information.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. I need to find out who is responsible for this error.
  2. She found out that her friend was moving to another city.
  3. We will find out the results of the test tomorrow.
Get along
- Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. They get along well despite their differences.
  2. He doesn’t get along with his neighbors.
  3. She always tries to get along with everyone at work.
Get by
- Meaning: To manage or survive with what you have.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. It’s hard to get by on a small salary.
  2. They managed to get by with very little money.
  3. He can get by with his basic knowledge of French.
Get over
- Meaning: To recover from something, such as an illness or an emotional setback.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. It took her a long time to get over the flu.
  2. He still hasn’t gotten over his breakup.
  3. You need to get over your fear of public speaking.
Give in
- Meaning: To yield or surrender to someone or something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She finally gave in to their demands.
  2. Don’t give in to peer pressure.
  3. He refused to give in and continued fighting for his rights.
Give up
- Meaning: To stop trying; to quit.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He gave up smoking last year.
  2. She gave up after several failed attempts.
  3. Never give up on your dreams.
Go ahead
- Meaning: To proceed; to start doing something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. You can go ahead with your plans.
  2. After getting permission, he went ahead and booked the trip.
  3. Go ahead and ask your question.
Go on
- Meaning: To continue; to happen.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The show must go on despite the problems.
  2. What’s going on here?
  3. She went on talking even though no one was listening.
Grow up
- Meaning: To mature or become an adult.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He grew up in a small town.
  2. It’s time for you to grow up and take responsibility.
  3. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
Hang out
- Meaning: To spend time relaxing or socializing.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. They like to hang out at the mall.
  2. Do you want to hang out this weekend?
  3. She was hanging out with her friends after school.
Hold on
- Meaning: To wait; to grasp something tightly.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Hold on for a moment while I check.
  2. Hold on to the railing so you don’t fall.
  3. Can you hold on while I grab my keys?
Keep on
- Meaning: To continue doing something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He kept on working despite the distractions.
  2. She kept on asking questions until she understood.
  3. Keep on trying; you’ll get it eventually.
Kick off
- Meaning: To begin or start something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The meeting will kick off at 9 AM.
  2. They kicked off the event with a speech.
  3. The team kicked off the season with a win.
Leave out
- Meaning: To omit or exclude something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. You left out an important detail in your report.
  2. She felt hurt because they left her out of the invitation.
  3. Don’t leave out any information when filling out the form.
Let down
- Meaning: To disappoint someone.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He felt let down by his friend’s betrayal.
  2. She promised not to let him down.
  3. The company’s failure let down many investors.
Look after
- Meaning: To take care of someone or something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She looks after her younger siblings while her parents are at work.
  2. They hired a nanny to look after their children.
  3. It’s important to look after your health.
Look into
- Meaning: To investigate or examine something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. We will look into the matter and get back to you.
  2. The police are looking into the incident.
  3. She decided to look into the possibility of a career change.
Look out
- Meaning: To be careful or watchful.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Look out for the car when crossing the street.
  2. He always looks out for his younger brother.
  3. Look out! There’s a hole in the sidewalk.
Make up
- Meaning: To invent something, often a story or excuse; to reconcile.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She made up an excuse to avoid the meeting.
  2. They argued but later made up and became friends again.
  3. He made up a story to explain his lateness.
Pick out
- Meaning: To choose or select something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She picked out a dress for the party.
  2. He carefully picked out the ripest fruits.
  3. They spent hours picking out new furniture.
Pick up
- Meaning: To lift something; to learn something; to collect someone.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Can you pick up the kids from school?
  2. She quickly picked up the new language.
  3. He picked up the book from the floor.
Put off
- Meaning: To delay or postpone something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. They decided to put off the meeting until next week.
  2. Don’t put off your homework until the last minute.
  3. The bad weather put off their plans for a picnic.
Put out
- Meaning: To extinguish something, such as a fire.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The firefighters quickly put out the blaze.
  2. She put out the candle before going to bed.
  3. They put out a statement denying the rumors.
Put up with
- Meaning: To tolerate or endure something unpleasant.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She has to put up with a lot of noise from the construction site.
  2. I can’t put up with his rude behavior anymore.
  3. They put up with the inconvenience for the sake of the project.
Run into
- Meaning: To meet someone unexpectedly; to encounter difficulties.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. I ran into an old friend at the mall.
  2. They ran into some problems during the project.
  3. She ran into her teacher at the grocery store.
Run out
- Meaning: To use up all of something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. We ran out of milk, so I need to buy more.
  2. The store ran out of the sale items quickly.
  3. He ran out of time before finishing the test.
Set up
- Meaning: To arrange or establish something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. They set up a meeting for next Monday.
  2. She set up her own business last year.
  3. He set up the equipment for the presentation.
Show up
- Meaning: To arrive or appear.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He didn’t show up for the appointment.
  2. She was the first to show up at the party.
  3. The missing files suddenly showed up on my desk.
Shut down
- Meaning: To close or stop operating.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The factory will shut down for maintenance.
  2. They decided to shut down the website.
  3. The company shut down due to financial problems.
Sit back
- Meaning: To relax and take no action.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Just sit back and enjoy the show.
  2. He sat back and watched the argument unfold.
  3. You can’t just sit back and do nothing.
Stand by
- Meaning: To be ready or available; to support someone.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Please stand by while we connect your call.
  2. She stood by her friend during difficult times.
  3. The emergency team is standing by.
Stand out
- Meaning: To be noticeable or distinguishable.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Her bright red dress made her stand out in the crowd.
  2. His work stands out among his peers.
  3. The new building stands out against the skyline.
Take after
- Meaning: To resemble a family member in appearance or behavior.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She takes after her mother with her artistic talent.
  2. He takes after his father in his love for sports.
  3. People say I take after my grandmother.
Take off
- Meaning: To leave the ground and begin to fly; to become successful.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. The plane took off on time.
  2. His career really took off after the promotion.
  3. She decided to take off early from work.
Take over
- Meaning: To assume control or responsibility.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She will take over the project from here.
  2. The company was taken over by a larger corporation.
  3. He decided to take over his family’s business.
Talk back
- Meaning: To reply rudely to someone in authority.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Don’t talk back to your parents.
  2. The student was punished for talking back to the teacher.
  3. She got in trouble for talking back to her boss.
Talk over
- Meaning: To discuss something thoroughly.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. We need to talk over the details before making a decision.
  2. They talked over their plans for the weekend.
  3. Let’s talk it over during lunch.
Throw away
- Meaning: To discard something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Don’t throw away those old magazines.
  2. She threw away the broken toy.
  3. It’s time to throw away the leftovers.
Throw up
- Meaning: To vomit.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He felt sick and had to throw up.
  2. She threw up after eating spoiled food.
  3. The motion of the boat made him throw up.
Try on
- Meaning: To put on clothes to see how they fit or look.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She tried on several dresses before choosing one.
  2. He tried on the shoes to make sure they fit.
  3. Try on the jacket and see if you like it.
Turn down
- Meaning: To refuse or reject something.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He turned down the job offer.
  2. She turned down the invitation to the party.
  3. They turned down his request for a loan.
Turn off
- Meaning: To switch off a device; to cause someone to lose interest.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Please turn off the lights when you leave.
  2. The boring lecture turned off many students.
  3. He turned off the TV after the show ended.
Turn on
- Meaning: To switch on a device; to excite or interest someone.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. She turned on the computer to check her email.
  2. His enthusiasm really turns on the audience.
  3. Turn on the radio for some music.
Turn up
- Meaning: To arrive or appear unexpectedly; to increase the volume.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. He turned up at the party without an invitation.
  2. She turned up the volume on the radio.
  3. The missing keys finally turned up.
Wake up
- Meaning: To stop sleeping; to become alert.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. I wake up at 6 AM every day.
  2. She woke up to the sound of the alarm.
  3. Wake up and pay attention to the lecture.
Watch out
- Meaning: To be careful or cautious.
- Sample Sentences:
  1. Watch out for the slippery floor.
  2. He always tells his kids to watch out when crossing the street.
  3. Watch out! There’s a car coming.
Work out
- Meaning: To exercise; to find a solution.
  - Sample Sentences:
  1. She works out at the gym every morning.
  2. They managed to work out their differences.
  3. We need to work out a plan for the project.