Phrasal Verbs
Essential English phrasal verbs
20 wordsEnglish (United States)
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Topic
- Everyday
/ɡɪv ʌp/
to stop trying to do something or to abandon an effort or habit
verb
Examples
- She refused to give up even when the odds were against her.
- He finally gave up smoking after years of trying.
/lʊk ˈfɔːrwərd tuː/
to feel excited or pleased about something that is going to happen
verb
Examples
- I'm really looking forward to the concert next week.
- She looked forward to her morning coffee every day.
/ˈfɪɡjər aʊt/
to understand or find a solution to something after thinking carefully
verb
Examples
- It took me a while to figure out how the new software works.
- Can you figure out what went wrong with the plan?
/ɡɛt əˈlɒŋ/
to have a friendly relationship with someone
verb
Examples
- The two colleagues get along very well despite their different personalities.
- Do you get along with your new neighbors?
/tɜːrn daʊn/
to refuse or reject an offer, request, or opportunity
verb
Examples
- She turned down the job offer because the salary was too low.
- He asked her to dance but she turned him down.
/rʌn aʊt əv/
to use up the entire supply of something so that none remains
verb
Examples
- We ran out of milk, so I need to go to the store.
- The car stopped because they had run out of gas.
/kʌm ʌp wɪð/
to think of or produce an idea, plan, or solution
verb
Examples
- She came up with a brilliant idea for the marketing campaign.
- Can you come up with a better solution to this problem?
/pʊt ɒf/
to delay doing something until a later time
verb
Examples
- Stop putting off your homework and do it now.
- They put off the meeting until next week.
/brɪŋ ʌp/
to introduce a topic or subject into a conversation or discussion
verb
Examples
- He brought up the issue of overtime pay during the meeting.
- She didn't want to bring up the argument from the night before.
/teɪk ɒf/
to leave the ground and begin flying
verb
Examples
- The plane took off an hour late due to the storm.
- We watched the rocket take off from the launch pad.
/breɪk daʊn/
to stop functioning or to fail completely
verb
Examples
- The car broke down on the highway and we had to call for help.
- Negotiations broke down after both sides failed to agree on terms.
to divide something into smaller parts or to analyze it in detail
verb
Examples
- The teacher broke down the complex problem into simple steps.
- Can you break down the total cost so I can see each item?
/lʊk ˈɪntuː/
to investigate or examine something in order to find out more about it
verb
Examples
- The police are looking into the cause of the fire.
- I'll look into the matter and get back to you by Friday.
/ˈkæri ɒn/
to continue doing something without stopping
verb
Examples
- Despite the noise, she carried on working until midnight.
- Carry on with your presentation — we're listening.
/sɛt ʌp/
to arrange, organize, or prepare something so it is ready to use or operate
verb
Examples
- They set up the equipment before the concert began.
- It took us a week to set up the new office.
/pɪk ʌp/
to lift something from a surface or to collect someone from a place
verb
Examples
- Can you pick up the kids from school at three o'clock?
- She picked up the coin from the floor and put it in her pocket.
to learn or acquire a skill, language, or habit gradually through experience
verb
Examples
- She picked up Spanish quickly during her year abroad.
- He picked up some bad habits from his new friends.
/ʃoʊ ʌp/
to arrive or appear somewhere, especially when expected
verb
Examples
- He promised to be there at noon but didn't show up until two.
- Only a handful of people showed up to the meeting.
/ɡoʊ θruː/
to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation
verb
Examples
- She went through a lot of hardship after losing her job.
- It's hard to imagine what he went through during those years.
/hoʊld ɒn/
to wait or pause for a short time
verb
Examples
- Hold on a moment — I need to check something before we leave.
- She asked him to hold on while she finished the call.
/wɜːrk aʊt/
to exercise physically, especially at a gym
verb
Examples
- She works out at the gym three times a week.
- He worked out every morning to stay in shape.
to happen or develop in a satisfactory way
verb
Examples
- I was nervous about the new job, but it all worked out in the end.
- Don't worry — things will work out eventually.
/ɛnd ʌp/
to reach a final situation or place, often unexpectedly or unintentionally
verb
Examples
- We took the wrong turn and ended up on the other side of town.
- He never planned to stay, but he ended up living there for ten years.