50 Phrasal Verbs With Meanings and Examples

Phrasal verbs appear in conversations, instructions, emails, stories, and workplace communication. Understanding their meanings is useful, but meaning alone does not show you how to build a correct sentence.

For example, some phrasal verbs take no object. Others require an object, which may appear in the middle or after the complete expression. Learning the grammar pattern with each meaning helps you avoid common word-order mistakes.

This list explains 50 common phrasal verbs with:

• A clear meaning
• The correct grammar pattern
• An original example sentence
• A brief usage note where needed

How to Read the Grammar Patterns

The entries use four simple labels.

Consider the pattern write something down.

A noun object may appear in either position:

Write the address down.

Write down the address.

A personal pronoun must go between the verb and particle:

Write it down.

Incorrect: Write down it.

The pattern given with each entry shows the structure used for the meaning being explained. Some phrasal verbs have other meanings that follow different grammar patterns.

1. Back Up

Pattern: back something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Make a copy of digital information so it is not lost.

You should back your photographs up before replacing your phone.

With a pronoun, place the object in the middle: back them up.

2. Break Down

Pattern: break down
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Stop working because of a mechanical or technical problem.

Our washing machine broke down halfway through the cycle.

This meaning does not take a direct object.

3. Bring Up

Pattern: bring something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Introduce a subject into a conversation or discussion.

Sofia brought the budget problem up during the meeting.

You may also say brought up the budget problem. With a pronoun, use brought it up.

4. Call Off

Pattern: call something off
Type: Separable
Meaning: Cancel a planned event, activity, or arrangement.

The organisers called the match off because the field was flooded.

Call off commonly appears with events such as meetings, trips, searches, strikes, and competitions.

5. Calm Down

Pattern: calm down
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Become less angry, nervous, upset, or excited.

Everyone calmed down after the missing child was found safely.

The expression may also be transitive in another use: calm somebody down. Here, however, it is being used without an object.

6. Carry Out

Pattern: carry something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Perform or complete a task, instruction, investigation, or plan.

The laboratory carried out several safety tests before approving the material.

Although separation is grammatically possible, the expression commonly stays together when the object is long.

7. Catch Up With

Pattern: catch up with somebody or something
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Reach the same position, level, or standard as someone or something ahead of you.

I worked through the weekend to catch up with the rest of the class.

The three parts stay together before the object.

8. Check In

Pattern: check in
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Register your arrival at a hotel, airport, hospital, or event.

Passengers should check in at least two hours before departure.

A place may follow with another word, as in check in at the front desk, but it is not a direct object placed inside the expression.

9. Come Across

Pattern: come across somebody or something
Type: Inseparable
Meaning: Find or meet someone or something unexpectedly.

I came across an interesting interview while researching the author.

The object follows the complete expression.

Incorrect: I came an interesting interview across.

10. Come Up With

Pattern: come up with something
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Think of or produce an idea, answer, plan, or solution.

The students came up with a creative way to reuse the packaging.

Do not place the object between the three words.

11. Cut Down On

Pattern: cut down on something
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Reduce the amount of something you use, consume, or do.

We are trying to cut down on unnecessary printing in the office.

This expression is often followed by a noun or an -ing form.

12. Drop By

Pattern: drop by
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Visit a person or place informally for a short time.

I may drop by after lunch to return your book.

You may add a place after the expression: drop by the office. The expression itself remains together.

13. End Up

Pattern: end up + place, state, or -ing form
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Finally arrive somewhere or find yourself in a particular situation, often unexpectedly.

We took the wrong road and ended up near the old railway station.

It may also be followed by an -ing form:

They ended up staying for another night.

14. Fill Out

Pattern: fill something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Complete a document or form by providing the requested information.

Please fill the registration form out before your appointment.

With a pronoun, say fill it out.

In British English, fill in is also commonly used for completing a form.

15. Find Out

Pattern: find something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Discover or learn information that you did not previously know.

We found the reason for the delay out after speaking to the supplier.

The non-separated order is often more natural with a long object:

We found out the reason for the delay.

With a pronoun, use find it out.

16. Get Along With

Pattern: get along with somebody
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Have a friendly or comfortable relationship with someone.

Rina gets along with her new colleagues very well.

The object follows the complete expression.

17. Get Away With

Pattern: get away with something
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Avoid punishment or negative consequences for something wrong.

He thought he could get away with copying the report, but the manager noticed.

This expression may be followed by a noun or an -ing form.

18. Get Over

Pattern: get over something
Type: Inseparable
Meaning: Recover from an illness, disappointment, shock, or difficult experience.

It took Farah several weeks to get over the infection completely.

The object must follow the complete expression.

19. Give In

Pattern: give in
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Stop resisting, arguing, or refusing to accept something.

After a long discussion, the landlord finally gave in.

When the person or demand is mentioned, the expression may be followed by to: give in to pressure.

20. Give Up

Pattern: give something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Stop doing, using, or trying to continue something.

Marcus gave sugary drinks up at the beginning of the year.

You may also say gave up sugary drinks. With a pronoun, use gave them up.

21. Go Over

Pattern: go over something
Type: Inseparable
Meaning: Examine, review, or discuss something carefully.

Let us go over the final instructions before the guests arrive.

The object follows the expression.

22. Hand In

Pattern: hand something in
Type: Separable
Meaning: Submit a document, assignment, application, or other required item.

Ella handed her science project in one day early.

A pronoun goes between the verb and particle: hand it in.

23. Hold On

Pattern: hold on
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Wait for a short time.

Hold on while I check whether the doctor is available.

This expression is common in spoken requests and telephone conversations.

24. Keep Up With

Pattern: keep up with somebody or something
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Continue at the same speed, level, or rate as someone or something.

Small businesses sometimes struggle to keep up with rapid changes in technology.

The object follows the complete three-word expression.

25. Leave Out

Pattern: leave something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Fail to include or deliberately omit something.

The first draft left several important dates out.

You may also say left out several important dates. With a pronoun, use left them out.

26. Look Up

Pattern: look something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Search for information in a dictionary, book, database, or online source.

I looked the unfamiliar term up in a medical dictionary.

Correct: I looked it up.
Incorrect: I looked up it.

27. Make Up

Pattern: make something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Invent a story, explanation, excuse, or piece of information.

The witness admitted that she had made the entire account up.

This meaning often suggests that the information is not true.

28. Move On

Pattern: move on
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Stop focusing on one subject, activity, or stage and continue to the next.

Once everyone understood the first rule, the instructor moved on.

You may add to when naming the next subject: move on to the next question.

29. Pass Out

Pattern: pass out
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Suddenly become unconscious for a short time.

The runner passed out near the finish line and received immediate medical attention.

Do not confuse this with the separable meaning pass something out, which means to distribute items.

30. Pick Up

Pattern: pick somebody or something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Collect someone or something from a place.

Theo will pick the parcel up on his way home.

With a personal pronoun, use pick it up or pick her up.

31. Point Out

Pattern: point something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Direct attention to a fact, detail, mistake, or feature.

The editor pointed a contradiction in the final paragraph out.

The non-separated order is often smoother with a longer object:

The editor pointed out a contradiction in the final paragraph.

32. Put Aside

Pattern: put something aside
Type: Separable
Meaning: Save or reserve something for a particular purpose or later use.

They put a small amount of money aside every month for repairs.

A pronoun goes in the middle: put it aside.

33. Put Off

Pattern: put something off
Type: Separable
Meaning: Delay or postpone an activity, event, or decision.

We put the garden work off until the weather improved.

With a pronoun, say put it off.

Do not confuse this with put somebody off, which may mean to discourage someone or make that person lose interest.

34. Run Into

Pattern: run into somebody
Type: Inseparable
Meaning: Meet someone unexpectedly.

I ran into my former music teacher at the bookshop.

The object follows the complete expression.

35. Run Out Of

Pattern: run out of something
Type: Three-word
Meaning: Use all of something so that none remains.

The café ran out of clean cups during the morning rush.

Do not separate the three words.

36. Set Off

Pattern: set off
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Begin a journey.

We set off before sunrise to avoid the city traffic.

A destination may follow with for: set off for Jaipur.

37. Set Up

Pattern: set something up
Type: Separable
Meaning: Arrange, establish, or prepare something for use.

The volunteers set a temporary help desk up near the entrance.

The non-separated order is often more natural with a long object:

The volunteers set up a temporary help desk.

38. Show Up

Pattern: show up
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Arrive at a place, especially when your arrival is expected or noticed.

Only twelve people showed up for the early workshop.

This expression is common in neutral and informal contexts.

39. Sort Out

Pattern: sort something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Resolve a problem or organise a confusing situation.

The support team sorted the payment error out within an hour.

With a pronoun, say sort it out.

40. Stand Out

Pattern: stand out
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Be especially noticeable, distinctive, or impressive.

Her clear opening paragraph stood out from the other submissions.

The expression may be followed by from when making a comparison.

41. Take On

Pattern: take something on
Type: Separable
Meaning: Accept responsibility, work, or a difficult task.

The agency took two additional projects on despite its limited staff.

With a pronoun, use take them on.

42. Take Over

Pattern: take over
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Gain control or responsibility from another person or organisation.

A new management team took over in September.

The expression may also be transitive in another pattern: take something over.

43. Throw Away

Pattern: throw something away
Type: Separable
Meaning: Discard something that is no longer wanted or useful.

Do not throw the receipt away until the return period has ended.

With a pronoun, say throw it away.

44. Turn Down

Pattern: turn something down
Type: Separable
Meaning: Refuse an offer, request, invitation, or opportunity.

Nikhil turned the job offer down because it required frequent travel.

Do not confuse this with another common meaning, reduce the level of sound, heat, or power.

45. Turn Off

Pattern: turn something off
Type: Separable
Meaning: Stop a machine, device, light, or supply from operating.

Please turn the hallway lights off before locking the building.

A personal pronoun must go in the middle: turn them off.

46. Turn Up

Pattern: turn up
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Arrive or appear, sometimes unexpectedly.

The missing documents turned up inside an old storage box.

This meaning takes no direct object.

47. Wake Up

Pattern: wake up
Type: Intransitive
Meaning: Stop sleeping and become awake.

I woke up when the neighbour’s dog began barking.

The expression may also be transitive in the pattern wake somebody up.

48. Wear Out

Pattern: wear something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Damage something through frequent or prolonged use.

Daily practice on rough ground wore his training shoes out quickly.

With a pronoun, use wore them out.

49. Work Out

Pattern: work something out
Type: Separable
Meaning: Find the answer to a problem or understand how to deal with a situation.

The engineers finally worked the cause of the fault out.

The non-separated order is often clearer with a long object:

The engineers finally worked out the cause of the fault.

50. Write Down

Pattern: write something down
Type: Separable
Meaning: Record information in writing so that you can remember or use it later.

I wrote the reference number down on the back of the envelope.

With a pronoun, say write it down.

Common Word-Order Mistakes to Avoid

Learning the definition is only the first step. Pay attention to the structure shown with each entry.

Do Not Separate an Inseparable Phrasal Verb

Correct: She came across an unusual painting.

Incorrect: She came an unusual painting across.

Put Pronouns in the Middle of Separable Phrasal Verbs

Correct: Please hand it in tomorrow.

Incorrect: Please hand in it tomorrow.

Keep Three-Word Expressions Together

Correct: We need to cut down on unnecessary spending.

Incorrect: We need to cut unnecessary spending down on.

Check the Pattern for Each Meaning

The same phrasal verb may follow a different pattern when its meaning changes. For example, one meaning may take an object while another does not.

Do not assume that one grammar label applies to every possible use of an expression.

How to Learn These Phrasal Verbs

A long list becomes more useful when you study a few expressions at a time.

1. Learn the Complete Pattern

Do not record only:

turn down = refuse

Record:

turn something down = refuse an offer, request, or invitation

The word something shows where the object belongs.

2. Include the Pronoun Form

For a separable expression, write both forms:

pick the package up
pick it up

This helps prevent incorrect constructions such as pick up it.

3. Learn One Meaning at a Time

Several phrasal verbs have many dictionary meanings. Begin with one common use and learn it accurately before adding another.

4. Write a New Sentence

Create a sentence connected to your own routine, work, studies, or recent experiences. A meaningful context is easier to recall than an isolated definition.

5. Review by Category

You may group the expressions by purpose, such as:

• Arriving and travelling
• Work and responsibility
• Solving problems
• Communication
• Technology
• Decisions and changes

The expressions should still be learned with their individual grammar patterns.

Final Review

These 50 phrasal verbs represent several grammatical structures. Some take no object, some may be separated, and others must stay together.

When you record a new phrasal verb, include:

• Its meaning
• Its complete object pattern
• Whether it is separable
• One natural example sentence
• Any important difference between its common meanings

Learning the full pattern helps you use the expression correctly rather than recognising it only when someone else uses it.

First English Grade Editorial Team

The First English Grade Editorial Team creates simple English grammar, vocabulary, and language guides for students, beginners, and everyday learners.