Phrasal Verbs List with Meanings and Examples: Phrasal verbs are the “secret sauce” of fluent English. They are those tricky combinations of a verb and a particle (like get up or run into) that often mean something completely different from the individual words.
Whether you are prepping for an English exam or just trying to sound less like a textbook and more like a local, this list of 100 essential phrasal verbs will help you level up your communication.
100 Essential Phrasal Verbs List
| # | Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| 1 | Ask around | Ask many people the same question | I’ll ask around to see if anyone found your keys. |
| 2 | Back up | To support or defend someone | My team will back up my decision. |
| 3 | Blow up | To explode | The racing car blew up after hitting the wall. |
| 4 | Break down | Stop functioning (vehicle/machine) | Our car broke down on the highway. |
| 5 | Break in | Force entry into a building | Somebody tried to break in while we were away. |
| 6 | Break up | End a relationship | They decided to break up after three years. |
| 7 | Bring up | Mention a topic | Don’t bring up politics during dinner. |
| 8 | Call off | To cancel | They had to call off the match due to rain. |
| 9 | Calm down | Relax after being angry | You need to calm down before you speak. |
| 10 | Check in | Arrive and register at a hotel/airport | We need to check in two hours before the flight. |
| 11 | Check out | Leave a hotel | We have to check out by 11:00 AM. |
| 12 | Cheer up | Become happier | I brought you flowers to cheer you up. |
| 13 | Clean up | Make neat and clean | Please clean up your room before guests arrive. |
| 14 | Come across | Find unexpectedly | I came across some old photos in the attic. |
| 15 | Count on | Rely on someone | You can always count on me for help. |
| 16 | Cut back on | Consume less | I’m trying to cut back on sugar. |
| 17 | Cut off | Stop providing/interrupt | The company cut off our electricity. |
| 18 | Do over | Do something again | My teacher made me do the essay over. |
| 19 | Dress up | Wear nice clothing | We should dress up for the gala. |
| 20 | Drop by | Visit without an appointment | Feel free to drop by my office anytime. |
| 21 | Drop off | Deliver something/someone | Can you drop me off at the station? |
| 22 | End up | Eventually reach/decide | We ended up staying home instead of going out. |
| 23 | Fall apart | Break into pieces | This old book is starting to fall apart. |
| 24 | Fall down | Fall to the ground | The toddler is learning to walk but falls down often. |
| 25 | Figure out | Understand/find the answer | I can’t figure out how to use this app. |
| 26 | Fill out | Complete a form | Please fill out this application. |
| 27 | Find out | Discover information | I need to find out what time the train leaves. |
| 28 | Get along | Be friendly with each other | I get along well with my coworkers. |
| 29 | Get away | Go on a vacation/escape | We need to get away for the weekend. |
| 30 | Get back | Return | When did you get back from London? |
| 31 | Get over | Recover from something | It took her a long time to get over the flu. |
| 32 | Get together | Meet socially | Let’s get together for coffee soon. |
| 33 | Get up | Get out of bed | I usually get up at 7:00 AM. |
| 34 | Give away | Give something for free | They are giving away free samples. |
| 35 | Give in | Reluctantly stop fighting/arguing | My parents finally gave in and bought me a bike. |
| 36 | Give up | Stop trying | Don’t give up on your dreams! |
| 37 | Go ahead | Start, proceed | Please go ahead and eat without me. |
| 38 | Go over | Review | Let’s go over the plan one more time. |
| 39 | Grow up | Become an adult | What do you want to be when you grow up? |
| 40 | Hang out | Spend time relaxing | We like to hang out at the park. |
| 41 | Hang up | End a phone call | Don’t hang up yet; I have one more thing to say. |
| 42 | Hold on | Wait for a short time | Hold on a second, I’m almost ready. |
| 43 | Keep on | Continue doing something | You should keep on practicing your guitar. |
| 44 | Look after | Take care of | Can you look after my cat this weekend? |
| 45 | Look for | Try to find | I’m looking for my car keys. |
| 46 | Look forward to | Be excited about the future | I look forward to meeting you. |
| 47 | Look up | Search for information | I need to look up this word in the dictionary. |
| 48 | Make up | Invent a story/lie | He made up an excuse for being late. |
| 49 | Pass out | Faint/lose consciousness | It was so hot that he passed out. |
| 50 | Pay back | Return owed money | I’ll pay you back next week. |
| 51 | Pick out | Choose | Help me pick out an outfit for the party. |
| 52 | Point out | Call attention to | She pointed out the mistake in the report. |
| 53 | Put off | Postpone | Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. |
| 54 | Put on | Dress oneself | Put on your coat; it’s cold outside. |
| 55 | Put up with | Tolerate | I can’t put up with that noise anymore. |
| 56 | Run into | Meet unexpectedly | I ran into an old friend at the mall. |
| 57 | Run out of | Have none left | We’ve run out of milk. |
| 58 | Set up | Arrange/organize | We need to set up a meeting for Monday. |
| 59 | Show off | Act boastfully | He likes to show off his new car. |
| 60 | Sleep over | Stay for the night | Can my friend sleep over tonight? |
| 61 | Sort out | Organize/resolve | We need to sort out this paperwork. |
| 62 | Take off | Start to fly/Remove clothing | The plane will take off in ten minutes. |
| 63 | Take out | Remove from a place | Please take out the trash. |
| 64 | Think over | Consider | I need some time to think it over. |
| 65 | Throw away | Get rid of | Don’t throw away those magazines. |
| 66 | Turn down | Decrease volume/Reject | Could you turn down the music? |
| 67 | Turn off | Stop a machine/light | Remember to turn off the lights. |
| 68 | Turn on | Start a machine/light | Can you turn on the TV? |
| 69 | Turn up | Increase volume | Turn up the radio; I love this song! |
| 70 | Wake up | Stop sleeping | I wake up early every morning. |
| 71 | Warm up | Prepare for exercise | You should warm up before running. |
| 72 | Work out | Exercise | I work out at the gym three times a week. |
| 73 | Write down | Record on paper | Write down my phone number. |
| 74 | Back out | Withdraw from a commitment | He backed out of the deal at the last minute. |
| 75 | Bear with | Be patient | Please bear with me while I find the file. |
| 76 | Blow out | Extinguish (fire/flame) | She blew out the candles on her cake. |
| 77 | Break out | Escape (from prison) | Three prisoners tried to break out. |
| 78 | Bring about | Cause to happen | The new law brought about many changes. |
| 79 | Carry on | Continue | Please carry on with your work. |
| 80 | Carry out | Perform a task | The soldiers carried out the orders. |
| 81 | Check up on | Examine/investigate | My mom calls to check up on me. |
| 82 | Close down | Stop operating (business) | The old cinema has closed down. |
| 83 | Come up with | Think of an idea | She came up with a great solution. |
| 84 | Cut in | Interrupt | Sorry to cut in, but there’s a phone call for you. |
| 85 | Die down | Decrease in intensity | The wind began to die down. |
| 86 | Do away with | Get rid of | They want to do away with the old rules. |
| 87 | Drop out | Quit a class/school | He dropped out of college to start a business. |
| 88 | Fall through | Fail to happen | Our travel plans fell through. |
| 89 | Get by | Manage to survive | I don’t earn much, but I get by. |
| 90 | Give out | Distribute | They are giving out flyers. |
| 91 | Go over | Review carefully | Let’s go over the contract once more. |
| 92 | Hold off | Delay | Let’s hold off on making a decision. |
| 93 | Keep up with | Stay at the same speed | It’s hard to keep up with technology. |
| 94 | Let down | Disappoint | I promise I won’t let you down. |
| 95 | Look into | Investigate | The police are looking into the case. |
| 96 | Pass away | Die | His grandfather passed away last night. |
| 97 | Run out | Expire | My passport runs out next month. |
| 98 | Set off | Start a journey | We set off for the beach at dawn. |
| 99 | Stand by | Wait/Support | I will stand by you no matter what. |
| 100 | Watch out | Be careful | Watch out! There’s a car coming. |
Ready to speak English like a pro? Practice one phrasal verb every day! Don’t forget to bookmark this page for your next study session.
Disclaimer on Phrasal Verbs List with Meanings and Examples
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. While we strive for 100% accuracy, language is fluid and meanings can vary based on regional dialects and context. Always consult a certified language instructor for formal exam preparation.
Also Read: Master Modals: 100+ Modals Exercises with Answers
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