You may put away your clothes, put forward a proposal, or put up with a delay. Each expression begins with put, but the added particle or preposition changes both its meaning and grammar pattern.
Many two-word phrasal verbs with put are separable:
Emily put the files away.
Emily put them away.
Longer expressions follow their own fixed patterns:
James put the mistake down to poor communication.
Someone put him up to changing the sign.
Learning the complete pattern helps you place nouns and pronouns correctly instead of treating every expression with put in the same way.
Quick List of Phrasal Verbs With Put
| Expression | Short meaning | Complete pattern |
|---|---|---|
| put across | communicate successfully | put something across |
| put aside | reserve or temporarily ignore | put something aside |
| put away | return to storage | put something away |
| put back | return to an earlier place | put something back |
| put by | save for later | put something by |
| put down | place, record, criticise, or euthanise | put somebody or something down |
| put forward | propose | put something forward |
| put in | install, contribute, or submit | put something in |
| put off | postpone, discourage, or distract | put somebody or something off |
| put on | wear, activate, stage, or gain | put somebody or something on |
| put out | extinguish, release, or inconvenience | put somebody or something out |
| put through | connect, process, or make someone experience | put somebody or something through |
| put together | assemble or create | put something together |
| put up | erect, display, increase, or accommodate | put somebody or something up |
| put down for | record a person’s name or choice | put somebody down for something |
| put down to | attribute to a cause | put something down to something |
| put in for | formally request or apply for | put in for something |
| put towards | contribute to a cost or purpose | put something towards something |
| put up for | offer for sale, adoption, or election | put somebody or something up for something |
| put up to | encourage someone to do something | put somebody up to something |
| put up with | tolerate | put up with somebody or something |
How to Read the Patterns
A pattern such as:
put something away
shows that the expression is separable. A noun may appear before or after the particle:
Put the groceries away.
Put away the groceries.
A pronoun must go between the verb and particle:
Put them away.
Incorrect: Put away them.
Longer expressions follow their own established structures.
Object after the complete expression
put up with something
I cannot put up with the noise.
I cannot put up with it.
Object inside the expression
put somebody up to something
Who put Daniel up to this?
Who put him up to it?
Effect followed by cause
put something down to something
The doctor put the headaches down to stress.
The pattern shown with each entry applies to the meaning explained there.
Common Two-Word Phrasal Verbs With Put
1. Put Across
Pattern: put something across
Type: Separable
Meaning: Communicate an idea, argument, or message successfully.
Emma used a simple chart to put her main point across.
With a pronoun:
Emma put it across clearly.
The object normally appears between put and across, especially when it is short.
2. Put Aside
Pattern: put something aside
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Reserve Something for Later
Daniel puts part of his salary aside each month.
This use commonly refers to money, time, or resources.
Meaning 2: Temporarily Stop Considering Something
The committee put its disagreements aside and focused on the urgent decision.
The expression does not necessarily mean the issue has been permanently resolved.
3. Put Away
Pattern: put something away
Type: Separable
Meaning: Return something to its usual storage place.
Sophie put the clean dishes away after lunch.
With a pronoun:
Sophie put them away.
Put away may also mean imprison someone or consume a large amount of food, but this article focuses on the most common storage meaning.
4. Put Back
Pattern: put something back
Type: Separable
Meaning: Return something to its previous place or position.
James put the folder back on the top shelf.
With a pronoun:
James put it back.
The object usually goes between the verb and particle.
5. Put By
Pattern: put something by
Type: Separable
Meaning: Save money or resources for future use.
Lucy put a little money by for unexpected expenses.
This expression is more common in British English. Put aside is more widely used in many contexts.
6. Put Down
Pattern: put somebody or something down
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Place Something on a Surface
Thomas put the box down beside the door.
Meaning 2: Write or Record Something
Hannah put the caller’s name down before ending the conversation.
Meaning 3: Criticise or Humiliate Someone
The supervisor repeatedly put his assistant down in front of the team.
Meaning 4: Euthanise a Seriously Ill or Injured Animal
The vet advised the family to put the suffering dog down.
This final meaning is sensitive and should be used only when the context is clear.
With pronouns:
- put it down
- put him down
- put them down
7. Put Forward
Pattern: put something forward
Type: Separable
Meaning: Propose an idea, argument, candidate, or plan for consideration.
Olivia put forward a revised schedule at the meeting.
A long object usually sounds clearer after the particle:
The board put forward a detailed proposal for reorganising the regional offices.
With a pronoun:
Olivia put it forward.
8. Put In
Pattern: put something in
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Install Something
The landlord put a new heating system in before winter.
Meaning 2: Contribute Time or Effort
Michael put several extra hours in to finish the project.
Meaning 3: Submit Something Officially
Emma put her request in before the deadline.
The exact meaning depends on the object and context.
9. Put Off
Pattern: put somebody or something off
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Postpone Something
The organisers put the outdoor event off because of heavy rain.
Meaning 2: Discourage Someone
The difficult opening chapter put several students off continuing the book.
Meaning 3: Distract Someone
The noise outside put Daniel off while he was speaking.
The pronoun goes in the middle:
They put it off.
The noise put him off.
10. Put On
Pattern: put somebody or something on
Type: Usually separable in the meanings below
Meaning 1: Dress Yourself in Clothing or an Accessory
Sophie put her coat on before leaving.
Meaning 2: Activate a Device or Source of Light
James put the radio on while preparing dinner.
Meaning 3: Stage or Organise a Performance
The drama club put a short comedy on for the school festival.
Meaning 4: Gain Weight
Daniel put on several kilograms during his recovery.
The grammar pattern changes according to the meaning, so the complete expression should be learned in context.
11. Put Out
Pattern: put somebody or something out
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Extinguish Something
Emma put the candle out before going upstairs.
Meaning 2: Inconvenience Someone
I hope the change of time does not put you out.
Meaning 3: Publish or Release Something
The organisation put a public statement out that afternoon.
With a pronoun:
Put it out.
The surrounding context identifies the intended meaning.
12. Put Through
Pattern: put somebody or something through
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Connect a Telephone Call
The receptionist put me through to the accounts department.
The fuller pattern is:
put somebody through to somebody
Meaning 2: Make Someone Experience Something Difficult
The investigation put the family through months of uncertainty.
Meaning 3: Process a Payment, Order, or Request
The assistant put the refund through immediately.
The object position varies with the complete pattern:
- put me through to someone
- put someone through an experience
- put a payment through
13. Put Together
Pattern: put something together
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Assemble Something
Jack put the bookcase together without help.
Meaning 2: Create or Organise Something From Separate Parts
Emily put a concise presentation together for the client meeting.
With a pronoun:
Jack put it together.
14. Put Up
Pattern: put somebody or something up
Type: Separable
Meaning 1: Erect or Display Something
The staff put the new sign up near the entrance.
Meaning 2: Increase a Price, Rate, or Level
The company put its delivery charges up in January.
Meaning 3: Provide Temporary Accommodation
Hannah put her cousin up for two nights.
The object position depends on the meaning but commonly appears between put and up.
Three-Word and Extended Patterns With Put
15. Put Somebody Down for Something
Pattern: put somebody down for something
Meaning: Record someone’s name, choice, expected contribution, or participation.
The organiser put Daniel down for the morning session.
It may also be used when recording an amount:
Put me down for twenty pounds.
The person appears after put. The activity, choice, or amount follows for.
16. Put Something Down to Something
Pattern: put something down to something
Meaning: Attribute a result, feeling, or behaviour to a particular cause.
The doctor put Emma’s tiredness down to a lack of sleep.
With pronouns:
The doctor put it down to stress.
The result appears before down. The proposed cause follows to.
17. Put In for Something
Pattern: put in for something
Meaning: Formally request, apply for, or claim something.
James put in for a transfer to the London office.
Common objects include:
- a promotion
- a transfer
- leave
- compensation
- a grant
The expression stays together before the object.
18. Put Something Towards Something
Pattern: put something towards something
Meaning: Contribute money, time, or resources to a cost or purpose.
Sophie put part of her bonus towards a new laptop.
The contribution appears after put. The purpose follows towards.
In American English, toward is also common.
19. Put Somebody or Something Up for Something
Pattern: put somebody or something up for something
Meaning: Offer someone or something for sale, adoption, election, consideration, or another formal process.
The owners put the property up for sale in March.
Other common patterns include:
- put an animal up for adoption
- put a candidate up for election
- put a proposal up for discussion
The person or thing appears between put and up.
20. Put Somebody Up to Something
Pattern: put somebody up to something or doing something
Meaning: Encourage or persuade someone to do something, often something foolish, dishonest, or troublesome.
Someone put James up to moving the sign.
With pronouns:
Someone put him up to it.
The person being influenced appears after put. The action follows up to.
21. Put Up With Somebody or Something
Pattern: put up with somebody or something
Meaning: Tolerate an unpleasant person, behaviour, or situation.
Lucy refused to put up with the repeated interruptions.
With a pronoun:
Lucy refused to put up with them.
The object follows the complete expression.
Incorrect: Lucy put them up with.
Commonly Confused Phrasal Verbs With Put
Put Aside vs. Put Away
Use put aside when reserving something or temporarily ignoring an issue:
Emma put some money aside for repairs.
Use put away when returning something to storage:
Emma put the tools away after finishing.
The first concerns reservation or mental separation. The second concerns physical storage.
Put Across vs. Put Forward
Use put something across when communicating it successfully:
The speaker put the main message across clearly.
Use put something forward when proposing it for consideration:
The speaker put a new policy forward.
An idea must first be proposed before it can be communicated effectively, but the two expressions describe different actions.
Put In vs. Put In for
Use put something in when installing, contributing, or submitting it:
The technician put a new battery in.
Use put in for something when formally requesting or applying for it:
The technician put in for additional training.
The preposition for introduces what is being requested.
Put Off vs. Put Out
Use put something off when postponing it:
The school put the trip off until May.
Use put something out when extinguishing, publishing, or releasing it:
The school put a notice out that afternoon.
Use put somebody out when inconveniencing that person:
I hope the change does not put you out.
Put Up vs. Put Up With
Use put something up when erecting, displaying, or increasing it:
They put the rent up.
Use put up with something when tolerating it:
The tenants refused to put up with the noise.
The additional preposition with creates a different expression and object pattern.
Put Somebody Down for vs. Put Something Down to
Use put somebody down for something when recording a person’s name, choice, or contribution:
Put Sarah down for the afternoon shift.
Use put something down to something when identifying a cause:
Put the delay down to poor weather.
The first pattern begins with a person. The second begins with a result or situation.
Forms of Phrasal Verbs With Put
The verb put is irregular, but its base form, simple past, and past participle are identical.
| Verb form | Example |
|---|---|
| Base form | put off |
| Third-person singular | puts off |
| Simple past | put off |
| Past participle | has put off |
| Present participle | putting off |
Examples:
They put off the meeting yesterday.
They have put off the meeting twice.
They are putting off the final decision.
Common Verb-Form Errors
Incorrect: They putted off the meeting.
Correct: They put off the meeting.
Incorrect: She is puting on her coat.
Correct: She is putting on her coat.
Double the final t before adding -ing.
The particle or preposition does not change:
- put up with
- puts up with
- put up with
- has put up with
- putting up with
Related Expressions With Put That Are Not Counted
Some useful expressions with put are collocations or idioms rather than core phrasal verbs.
| Expression | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| put pressure on somebody | pressure or influence them | collocation |
| put something to use | use it for a practical purpose | fixed expression |
| put yourself in someone’s shoes | imagine being in that person’s situation | idiom |
| put something behind you | stop dwelling on a difficult event | idiomatic expression |
These expressions should be learned as complete units, but they are not included among the main phrasal verbs in this list.
Final Point
Phrasal verbs with put are easier to use when you learn the whole pattern:
- put something away
- put somebody through to somebody
- put something down to something
- put somebody up to doing something
- put up with somebody or something
The pattern shows where nouns and pronouns belong and helps you distinguish expressions that look similar but function differently.
FAQs About Phrasal Verbs With Put
What are some common phrasal verbs with “put”?
Common examples include put away, put back, put down, put forward, put in, put off, put on, put out, put through, put together, put up, and put up with. Longer patterns include put something down to something and put somebody up to something.
Are phrasal verbs with “put” separable?
Many two-word phrasal verbs with put are separable, including put away, put back, put down, put off, put on, and put out. However, longer expressions follow their own patterns. For example, put up with something keeps the object after the complete expression.
Is “put on” separable?
Yes, in common meanings such as wearing clothing or activating a device. You may say put the coat on or put on the coat. With a pronoun, say put it on, not put on it.
What does “put up with” mean?
Put up with somebody or something means tolerate an unpleasant person, behaviour, or situation. The object follows the full expression: put up with the noise or put up with it.
What is the difference between “put off” and “put out”?
Put off commonly means postpone, discourage, or distract. Put out may mean extinguish, publish, or inconvenience. The correct meaning depends on the object and sentence context.
What is the past tense of “put”?
The simple past of put is put. The past participle is also put. For example: They put the event off yesterday and They have put the event off again.
What does “put something down to” mean?
It means attribute a result, feeling, or behaviour to a cause. For example: The doctor put the headaches down to stress.
What does “put somebody through” mean?
It may mean connect that person by telephone or make them experience something difficult. For example: The receptionist put me through to the manager and The long delay put everyone through considerable stress.
The First English Grade Editorial Team creates simple English grammar, vocabulary, and language guides for students, beginners, and everyday learners.