100 Most Common Phrasal Verbs: List with Meaning

If you are an ESL learner looking to improve your English skills, then reading the article “100 Most Common Phrasal Verbs: List with Meaning” is a must. Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English communication and can be quite challenging to learn due to their idiomatic nature. However, mastering them can greatly enhance your vocabulary and fluency. This article provides you with a comprehensive list of 100 of the most common phrasal verbs in English, along with their meanings and examples. By reading and practicing these phrasal verbs, you will gain a deeper understanding of their usage in context, which will improve your speaking, writing, and listening skills. Don’t hesitate to read this article and start incorporating these phrasal verbs into your everyday conversations.

What is a Phrasal Verb?

A phrasal verb is a type of multi-word verb that consists of a verb and one or more particles, such as prepositions or adverbs. These particles can change the meaning of the verb, creating new idiomatic expressions that may not be predictable based on the meanings of the individual words. For example, the phrasal verb “take off” can mean to remove clothing or to depart quickly. Phrasal verbs are an important part of English language and mastering them can greatly improve one’s fluency and understanding.

Add up: To calculate the total of something

She added up the receipts to see how much money she had spent.

Ask out: To invite someone on a date

He asked her out for dinner and a movie.

Back up: To move backward or reverse

She had to back up the car to park it in the garage.

Blow up: To explode or destroy

The fireworks blew up in the sky, creating a beautiful display.

Break down: To stop working or malfunction

The car broke down on the highway, and they had to call for help.

Bring up: To raise a topic for discussion

She brought up the issue of climate change during the meeting.

Brush up: To improve or refresh one’s skills or knowledge

He brushed up on his Spanish before traveling to South America.

Burn out: To exhaust or become exhausted

She burned out after working long hours for several weeks.

Call off: To cancel something

They had to call off the picnic due to the bad weather.

Carry on: To continue doing something

She decided to carry on with the project despite the challenges.

Catch up: To reach the same level or status as others

He had to work hard to catch up with his classmates in math.

Check in: To register or report one’s arrival

She checked in at the hotel reception desk and received her room key.

Cheer up: To become or make someone happy

She tried to cheer him up by telling him a joke.

Clean up: To make something clean and tidy

They had to clean up the kitchen after cooking dinner.

Come across: To meet or discover by chance

She came across an old photo album while cleaning the attic.

Come up with: To think of or produce an idea or solution

He came up with a creative way to solve the problem.

Count on: To rely on or trust someone or something

She knew she could count on her best friend for support.

Cut down: To reduce the amount of something

They decided to cut down on their sugar intake for health reasons.

Cut off: To disconnect or stop something from working

The storm cut off the electricity in the neighborhood.

Deal with: To handle or manage a situation

She had to deal with a difficult customer at work.

Do without: To live or function without something

She had to do without her morning coffee because she ran out of beans.

Dress up: To wear formal or fancy clothing

They had to dress up for the wedding ceremony.

Drop off: To deliver or leave something or someone at a destination

She dropped off the package at the post office.

Eat out: To dine at a restaurant or eat food prepared outside the home

They decided to eat out at their favorite Italian restaurant.

End up: To result in a particular outcome

They ended up getting lost during the hiking trip.

Face up to: To confront or deal with a difficult situation or problem

She had to face up to the fact that she failed the exam.

Fall apart: To break or disintegrate

The old house was falling apart, so they had to renovate it completely.

Figure out: To understand or solve a problem or puzzle

He had to figure out how to fix the broken computer.

Fill in: To provide information or complete a form

She had to fill in the application form to apply for the job.

Find out: To discover or learn something new

He found out that he got the job offer he had been waiting for.

Fix up: To repair or renovate something

They had to fix up the old house before selling it.

Get along: To have a good relationship with someone

She got along well with her new coworkers.

Get away: To escape or take a vacation

They decided to get away to the beach for the weekend.

Get by: To survive or manage with limited resources

She had to get by on a tight budget during her college years.

Get off: To disembark or leave a vehicle or transportation

They got off the train at the station and walked to their hotel.

Get on: To board or enter a vehicle or transportation

They got on the bus to go to the museum.

Get over: To recover from an illness, injury, or emotional distress

She needed some time to get over the loss of her pet.

Give away: To donate or give something to someone for free

She decided to give away her old clothes to a charity.

Give up: To surrender or quit doing something

He didn’t want to give up on his dream of becoming a musician.

Go ahead: To give permission or proceed with something

She gave him the go-ahead to start the project.

Go through: To experience or undergo a difficult or challenging situation

He had to go through a lot of hardships to achieve his goals.

Grow up: To mature or become an adult

She had to grow up quickly when her parents passed away.

Hand in: To submit or deliver something, usually a document or assignment

She had to hand in her thesis by the end of the semester.

Hang out: To spend time with someone or relax somewhere

They decided to hang out at the park on a sunny day.

Hold on: To wait or keep something or someone in a particular position

She asked him to hold on to the ladder while she painted the ceiling.

Keep up: To maintain or continue at the same level or pace

She had to keep up with her exercise routine to stay fit.

Kick off: To start or initiate something

They kicked off the party with some music and dancing.

Knock out: To defeat or eliminate someone or something

He knocked out his opponent in the boxing match.

Laugh off: To dismiss or ignore something by laughing about it

She tried to laugh off the embarrassing situation.

Lay off: To terminate or dismiss employees from their jobs

The company had to lay off some workers due to financial difficulties.

Let down: To disappoint or fail someone or something

She felt let down by her friend’s broken promise.

Look after: To take care of or attend to someone or something

She had to look after her younger brother while their parents were away.

Look for: To search or seek something or someone

He looked for his lost phone all over the house.

Look forward to: To anticipate or be excited about something in the future

She looked forward to her upcoming vacation in Europe.

Make up: To reconcile or resolve a conflict with someone

They made up after their argument and became good friends again.

Measure up: To be sufficient or meet certain standards

He wasn’t sure if his skills would measure up to the job requirements.

Mix up: To confuse or mistake something or someone for another

She mixed up the dates and missed her flight.

Move in: To begin living in a new house or apartment

They moved in together after getting married.

Move out: To leave a house or apartment and stop living there

She moved out of her parents’ house when she went to college.

Pass out: To faint or lose consciousness

He passed out from exhaustion after working for 24 hours straight.

Pay back: To return money that was borrowed or settle a debt

He promised to pay her back as soon as he got his paycheck.

Pick out: To choose or select something from a group of options

She picked out the perfect dress for her friend’s wedding.

Point out: To draw attention to or indicate something

He pointed out the mistake in the report to his boss.

Put off: To postpone or delay something

They had to put off their vacation plans due to the pandemic.

Put up: To install or hang something

They put up new curtains in the living room.

Read up: To research or study a topic in preparation for something

She read up on the company before going to the job interview.

Rip off: To cheat or swindle someone by overcharging or providing poor quality goods or services

He realized that he had been ripped off by the mechanic who charged him a lot of money for unnecessary repairs.

Run into: To encounter someone unexpectedly

She ran into her old friend at the grocery store.

Run out of: To use up all of something and have none left

They ran out of milk and had to go to the store to buy more.

Set up: To establish or arrange something

They set up a meeting to discuss the new project.

Show off: To display or demonstrate one’s abilities or possessions in a boastful manner

He was showing off his new car to his friends.

Shut down: To close a business or operation temporarily or permanently

The factory was shut down due to safety concerns.

Speak up: To raise one’s voice or express oneself more clearly or assertively

She had to speak up to be heard in the noisy room.

Stand out: To be noticeable or distinguishable from others

Her bright red dress made her stand out in the crowd.

Take after: To resemble or have similar traits or qualities to a family member

He takes after his father in terms of his love for sports.

Take off: To remove clothing or depart on a flight

She took off her coat and hat when she entered the warm building.

Take on: To assume responsibility or accept a challenge or task

She decided to take on the leadership role in the project.

Take over: To assume control or responsibility for something

The new CEO took over the company after the previous one retired.

Talk over: To discuss or consider something with someone

They talked over the details of their trip before making any reservations.

Think over: To consider or ponder something before making a decision

He needed some time to think over the job offer before accepting it.

Throw away: To discard or dispose of something

She threw away the old magazines to make space in her room.

Tie up: To secure or fasten something with a knot or strap

He tied up the packages with a ribbon.

Try on: To test the fit of a piece of clothing

She tried on several dresses before finding the right one for the wedding.

Turn down: To reject or decline an offer or request

He turned down the job offer because he had already accepted another one.

Turn up: To arrive or appear unexpectedly

He turned up at the party even though he wasn’t invited.

Use up: To consume or deplete a resource completely

They used up all the fuel and had to refill the tank.

Wait on: To serve or attend to someone

The waiter waited on them at the restaurant.

Walk out: To leave abruptly or in protest

They walked out of the meeting in frustration.

Warm up: To increase in temperature or prepare for physical activity

They warmed up before the game by stretching and jogging.

Watch out: To be cautious or careful of something or someone

She warned him to watch out for the slippery patch of ice on the sidewalk.

Wear out: To become worn or damaged from use

Her shoes were worn out from walking long distances every day.

Work out: To exercise or solve a problem

She worked out at the gym every morning before going to work.

Write down: To record or make a written note of something

He wrote down the important points from the meeting.

Zip up: To close or fasten a zipper

She zipped up her jacket to keep warm in the cold weather.

Break out: To escape from a place or situation

The prisoners attempted to break out of the jail.

Look out: To be watchful or alert for danger or something of interest

He looked out the window to see if the bus had arrived.

Pass on: To give or transmit something to someone else

She passed on her knowledge and experience to the new employees.

Rule out: To eliminate or exclude something as a possibility

They ruled out the first option because it was too expensive.

Stand up: To rise from a seated position or keep a promise or commitment

He stood up from his chair when she entered the room.

Turn in: To submit or hand in something

They had to turn in their essays by the end of the week.