Phrasal Verbs – List Of Examples With Meaning

What are the phrasal verbs? Here’s an extensive list.

PHRASAL VERBS – There are thousands of them and here is a list of some of the most commonly used ones and their meaning.

Phrasal verbs are phrases or groups of two or more words that when used together, creates a new meaning that is different to the meaning of the original verb. It is composed of a verb and a preposition or a verb and an adverb. It has several types: transitive, intransitive, separable, and inseparable.  

Here are some examples with their definitions:

1. abide by – To respect or obey a decision
2. account for – To explain, give a reason
3. add up – To make sense
4. advise against – To recommend not doing something
5. agree with – To have the same opinion as someone else
6. allow for – To take into consideration
7. appeal to – To plead or make a request; To be attractive or interesting
8. back away – To move backwards
9. back down – To withdraw
10. back up – To give support or encouragement
11. block off – To separate using a barrier
12. blow up – To explode; To get angry
13. boil down to – To be summarized as
14. break away – To separate from a crowd
15. break into – To enter by force
16. break out – To start suddenly
17. break up – To come to an end
18. bring up – To raise (a child)
19. burn out – stop (something) working
20. call back – To return a phone call
21. call off – To cancel
22. calm down – To become more relaxed
23. carry on – To continue
24. call around – To contact multiple people
25. come around – To change one’s opinion or see a new point of view
26. check in – To register at a hotel or airport
27. clam up – To refuse to speak
28. clamp down on – To act strictly to prevent something
29. come forward – To present oneself
30. count on – To rely or depend on 
31. cut down on – To reduce in number or size
32. deal with – To handle, take care of
33. die down – To calm down, become less strong
34. do without – To manage without
35. dress up – Wear elegant clothes
36. drop off – To deliver someone or something
37. drop out – To leave school without finishing
38. ease off – To reduce, become less severe or slow down
39. end in – To finish in a certain way
40. end up – To finally reach a state
41. fall through – To fail; doesn’t happen
42. figure out – To understand, find the answer
43. find out – To discover or obtain information
44. get along (with) – To be on good terms; work well with
45. get away – To escape
46. get in or get into (+noun) – To enter
47. get off – To leave; To remove
48. get rid of – To eliminate
49. get up – To rise, leave bed
50. give up – To stop doing something