The 150 most common phrasal verbs

By Mélodie Garnier and Norbert Schmitt 

go on (1)
happen
go on (2)
proceed, continue happening, continue doing (not carry on or keep on)
pick up
get or take sb/sth from a place
come back
return (not go back)
come up (1)
come near
come up (2)
be happening soon (esp on radio/tv)
go back
return (not come back)
find out
discover
come out (1)
leave (a place) (not go off or go out)
come out (2)
become known or revealed after being kept secret
come out (3)
make public knowledge a privately held position
come out (4)
become available or released to the public
go out (1)
leave your house to go somewhere, esp to do sth enjoyable
go out (2)
to have a romantic relationship with someone
point out
direct attention towards sth
grow up
gradually advance in age and maturity
set up (1)
create sth or start it
set up (2)
arrange for sth to happen
turn out
happen in a particular way (not work out)
get out
leave (not go out or go off or come out)
come in (1)
enter (not go in)
come in (2)
take part in a discussion
take on (1)
accept some work or responsibility
take on (2)
begin to have a particular quality, appearance, etc.
give up
stop doing or having sth; abandon
make up (1)
combine to form
make up (2)
replace or compensate
make up (3)
make a decision
end up
to find yourself in a place or situation that you did not intend or expect to be in
(not wind up)
get back
return (not come back or go back)
look up (1)
raise one’s eyes
look up (2)
find information (not look for)
figure out
be able to understand something or to solve a problem
sit down
move from a standing position to a sitting position
get up
get out of bed from lying or to rise from a lower position
take out (1)
remove sth from somewhere (not pull out)
take out (2)
invite sb to a place like a cinema or a restaurant and usually pay for them
take out (3)
obtain an official document or service from an authority
come on (1)
to encourage sb to try harder, or do or say sth
come on (2)
used to show SB disbelief, disagreement, or anger
go down (1)
move down to a lower level or position (not come down or get down)
go down (2)
decrease in value or amount (not come down)
go down (3)
go from one place to another, esp. one that is further south or underneath
show up
arrive in a place where people are expecting you
take off (1)
remove something, especially a piece of clothing
take off (2)
leave a place, especially suddenly
take off (3)
leave the ground and rise into the air
work out (1)
plan, devise or think about sth carefully or in detail
work out (2)
do physical exercise as a way of keeping fit
work out (3)
happen or develop in a particular way
stand up (1)
put your body into an upright position from a sitting or lying position
stand up (2)
to defend or support a particular idea or a person
come down (1)
move down to the ground or to a lower level (not go down)
come down (2)
reduce itself to the most important aspect of a situation or problem
come down (3)
become lower in amount or value (not go down)
go ahead
start or continue to do sth
go up (1)
become higher in amount or value
go up (2)
move to a higher level
look back (1)
think about a time or event in the past
look back (2)
look at sth or sb again after having momentarily looked elsewhere
wake up
become (or make sb become) conscious again after being asleep
carry out
do a piece of work, research, etc
take over (1)
begin to do sth that sb else was doing
take over (2)
take control of sth
hold up (1)
hold something in a high position
hold up (2)
remain strong or in a fairly good condition
hold up (3)
Delay or prevent the progression of sth/sb
pull out (1)
take sth out of somewhere (not take out)
pull out (2)
stop being involved in an activity, event, or situation
turn around (1)
move to face in the opposite direction
turn around (2)
make sth become better or more successful than it previously was
take up (1)
use a particular amount of space, time or effort
take up (2)
discuss or deal with (issue, idea, matter) (not bring up)
take up (3)
start doing something regularly as a habit, job, or interest
look down
lower one’s eyes to see what is below
put up (1)
display or attach something (eg to a wall)
put up (with) (2)
tolerate
put up (3)
build or place sth somewhere
bring back (1)
make sth/sb return to a place, state, situation, or conversation topic
bring back (2)
bring sth one has taken from a place they come from
bring up (1)
start discussing a subject (not take up)
bring up (2)
to look after a child until he or she becomes an adult
look out (1)
look outside, or at the horizon
look out (for sb) (2)
take care of someone and make sure that they are treated well
look out (3)
used for warning someone to be careful (always as an imperative)
bring in (1)
use the skills of a particular group or person
bring in (2)
introduce a new law or system
open up (1)
make sth available or possible
open up (2)
open sth that was closed
check out (1)
examine; have a look at
check out (2)
to leave a hotel or a private hospital after paying the bill
move on (1)
change (subject, job, discussion, etc)
move on (2)
forget about a difficult experience and move forward mentally/emotionally
put out (1)
make sth known or accessible to the public
put out (2)
stop sth from burning
put out (3)
put sth somewhere in order for it to be seen or used
look around
walk around somewhere to see what is there
catch up (be/get caught up ) (1)
to become unexpectedly involved in an unpleasant or annoying situation
catch up (2)
go faster so that you reach the person or vehicle in front of you
catch up (3)
reach the same level or standard as sb or sth that is more advanced
go in
enter (not come in)
break down (1)
stop working or functioning; fail or collapse (vehicle, device, relationship,
negotiations)
break down (2)
divide or separate into categories or smaller components (not break up)
break down (3)
to start crying, especially in public
break down (4)
undergo chemical decomposition; separate into different substances
get off (1)
leave (train, bus, aircraft, lift)
get off (2)
begin something in a certain way
get off (3)
manage to avoid serious trouble or consequences
keep up (1)
move, progress or increase at the same rate or pace as sb or sth
keep up (2)
continue to do sth, maintain
put down (1)
place sth/sb on the floor or on a flat surface
put down (2)
criticise sb, or make them feel stupid
reach out (1)
stretch an arm in order to hold, touch, or get sth that is within short distance
reach out (to) (2)
make an effort to address or communicate with sb, so as to help them or involve
them in sth
go off (1)
leave a place, especially for a particular purpose (not go out)
go off (2)
start making a noise as a signal or warning
go off (3)
explode, or be fired (not blow up or set off)
cut off (1)
remove sth by cutting it
cut off (2)
prevent sb from continuing what they are saying
cut off (3)
stop supply, money, etc
turn back
return the same way that you came instead of continuing on your journey, or to
make someone do this
pull up (1)
stop or cause a vehicle to stop
pull up (2)
move a seat near to where someone is sitting, and sit on it
set out (1)
start doing or working on sth, esp. with a particular goal in mind
set out (2)
start a journey
set out (3)
explain or present sth clearly, esp. officially and in writing
clean up (1)
remove dirt, mess, pollution, or chemical substances in a place or area
clean up (2)
make sth free from dangerous, unacceptable or controversial activities or
contents
shut down
stop (or make sth stop) working or operating (machine, computer, business,
strategy)
turn over (1)
surrender possession or control to sb/sth (esp. in authority)
turn over (2)
change position so that the other side is facing towards the outside or the top,
or another direction
slow down
move, proceed or progress at a slower pace (vehicle, economy)
wind up
be in a particular situation, condition or place, esp. an unpleasant one, not
because you choose to, but because of other things that have happened (not
end up)
turn up (1)
produce; be (or make sth be) found, discovered, or noticed
turn up (2)
increase the volume or level of sth
turn up (3)
arrive or make an appearance somewhere
line up
to form a row, or to put people or things in a row
take back (1)
return something that you have bought to the shops because it is broken or not
suitable
take back (2)
accept someone again after they have left a relationship, job etc and want to
return to it
lay out (1)
explain something carefully and clearly
lay out (2)
spread something out, or to arrange things so you can see them easily
go over (1)
move towards a place or person, esp. by crossing an area (room, city, country)
go over (2)
examine or discuss each part of sth in detail in order to understand or
remember it better, or make sure it is correct
hang up
stop using the telephone at the end of a conversation
go through (1)
experience sth difficult or unpleasant
go through (2)
be officially accepted or approved
hold on (1)
refuse to let go of sth
hold on (2)
wait for a short time
pay off (1)
pay the complete amount of sth
pay off (2)
yield good results; succeed
hold out (1)
move one’s hand, or an object in one’s hand, forward , or towards sb, in order to
give, or take sth
hold out (2)
express a thought that something is likely to happen or succeed (or not, if in
negative)
break up (1)
end a relationship
break up (2)
divide into smaller parts or components (not break down)
bring out (1)
produce a new product and start to sell it
bring out (2)
make a particular detail, quality or feeling more noticeable
pull back
Withdraw or retreat from an activity or location, esp. military
hang on
same as hold on
build up
increase or cause sth to increase, accumulate, or strengthen, especially
progressively
throw out (1)
refuse to accept or consider
throw out (2)
to force someone to leave a place or group
hang out
spend time relaxing or enjoying oneself
put on (1)
start wearing sth
put on (weight) (2)
gain weight
get down (to) (1)
begin to pay serious attention to sth
get down (2)
lower one’s body as by kneeling, sitting or lying (not go down)
get down (3)
make someone feel sad or lose hope
come over
come to a place or area (spot, room, town, country), esp. towards sb or to join
sb
move in (1)
start living in a different house or flat
move in (2)
go towards sb/sth, esp. to attack or take control of them
start out
start a life, existence, profession, or course of action in a particular way or by
doing a particular thing
call out
shout something, especially when you are trying to get someone’s attention
sit up
go from a lying position to a sitting position
turn down (1)
refuse or dismiss (request, offer, opportunity)
turn down (2)
reduce the amount of sound, heat, or light
back up (1)
support
back up (2)
make a copy of (a data file), esp for storage in another place as a security copy
put back (1)
put something in the place where it was before it was moved
put back (2)
change the time or date of an event so that it happens later than originally
planned
send out (1)
send a lot of copies of the same document to a large number of people
send out (2)
send sb to a place for a particular purpose
get in (1)
go inside a place
get in (on) (2)
get involved in an exciting or profitable activity/opportunity
blow up (1)
explode or destroy (not go off or set off)
blow up (2)
happen suddenly (a storm, an argument)
carry on
continue to do sth (not go on or keep on)
set off (1)
begin a journey (not set out)
set off (2)
cause sth to explode or sth to start working, especially by accident (not go off or
blow up)
set off (3)
cause a situation or a series of events to happen, especially without intending to
keep on
continue (not go on or carry on)
run out
have none left
make out (1)
see, hear, or understand with difficulty
make out (2)
represent as being a particular way, esp. falsely
shut up
to stop talking or making a noise (impolite)
turn off (1)
stop a piece of equipment working temporarily, or a supply flowing, by turning a
tap, pressing a button, or moving a switch
turn off (2)
make someone feel bored or no longer interested in something
bring about
make something happen, especially to cause changes in a situation
step back
stop for a moment in order to consider something
lay down (1)
put something down in order to show you are not going to use it again, for
example a weapon or tool
lay down (2)
state officially what someone must do or how they must do it
lay down (3)
non-standard way of saying lie down
bring down (1)
cause sb/sth to move downward or fall to the ground
bring down (2)
reduce the rate, level, or amount of sth
bring down (3)
cause a government or politician to lose power
stand out (1)
be much more impressive or important than other people or things
stand out (2)
be easily seen or noticeable
come along (1)
arrive or become available
come along (2)
go somewhere with sb
play out
develop or end in a particular way (not wind up or end up)
break out (1)
start suddenly, esp. sth undesirable and unpleasant
break out (of) (2)
escape from prison
go around (1)
go from one place/person to another; circulate
go around (2)
visit a person/place (not come around)
walk out
leave a place or event, especially suddenly or angrily
get through (to) (1)
make someone understand what you are trying to say
get through (2)
succeed in contacting sb on the telephone
get through (3)
overcome sth, esp. difficult or unpleasant
hold back (1)
stop sb from going somewhere or from reaching their full potential
hold back (2)
decide not to do or say something
hold back (3)
not show what you are thinking or feeling
write down
record information on paper
move back
return to a place one has lived in before (not go back or come back)
fill out
complete a form or official document
sit back
deliberately take no action or remain passive about sth
rule out
stop considering sth as a possibility
move up
go to a better job, higher level etc
pick out (1)
choose sb/sth among a number of alternatives
pick out (2)
detect or be noticed among a group of things or people
take down (1)
remove sth that was previously put up or put in place
take down (2)
destroy, kill, or disable
take down (3)
write down information or a statement (obviously, not write down)
get on (1)
get on board some form of public transportation (train, bus, plane, lift)
get on (2)
continue doing something, especially with more effort or more quickly than
before
get on (3)
used for asking or talking about how well someone has done a particular activity
give back
return sth
hand over (1)
give sth to sb by holding it in one’s hand and offering it to them
hand over (2)
surrender control or responsibility for sth/sb to sb else, esp. officially
sum up
give a summary of something
move out
leave one’s place of residence permanently
come off (1)
become detached or removed from a larger whole
come off (2)
stop taking something such as a medicine or drug
pass on (1)
circulate or communicate
pass on (2)
transmit from generation to generation
take in (1)
allow someone to stay in your house or your country
take in (2)
fully understand or grasp the meaning of sth
take in (3)
deceive by behaving in a dishonest way
set down
state officially how something should be done
sort out (1)
do what is needed to solve a problem, conflict or difficult situation
sort out (2)
find out information so as to understand sth
follow up (1)
do sth in addition to what you have already done, in order to be certain of
achieving your aim
follow up (2)
find out more information about sth
come through (1)
be clearly perceived, noticed or seen (feeling, emotion, quality)
come through (2)
be still alive, working, or making progress after a difficult or dangerous
experience
settle down (1)
begin to live a quieter life by getting married or staying permanently in a place
settle down (2)
become calmer, quieter, more orderly
settle down (3)
get into a comfortable position
come around (1)
go to a place where someone is, especially their house, in order to visit them
(not go around)
come around (2)
convert to an opinion or decision
fill in (1)
add or put in (whatever is needed to make something complete)
fill in (2)
do another person’s job temporarily
fill in (3)
give sb all the necessary information
give out (1)
give sth, usually to several people
give out (2)
stop working, come to an end
give in
yield; to stop fighting and admit defeat
go along (1)
progress or proceed with an activity
go along (2)
act in cooperation or express agreement
break off (1)
stop speaking suddenly
break off (2)
end a relationship, discussion, etc
put off (1)
delay doing something, especially because you do not want to do it
put off (2)
make someone not want/like something
come about
happen, especially by chance
close down
stop operating or functioning
put in (1)
invest sth such as time or effort to achieve sth
put in (2)
make an official request, claim, offer etc
set about
begin doing something, especially in a determined or enthusiastic way