100 Phrasal Verbs with Meanings for English Learners
100 essential phrasal verbs with clear meanings and example sentences. Grouped for easy study. Free printable reference for English learners at every level.
100 Phrasal Verbs with Meanings: Complete List for English Learners
100 essential English phrasal verbs with clear meanings and real example sentences. Grouped into sections for easy study. Designed for B1-B2 learners who want to sound more natural in conversation.
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Why phrasal verbs matter
Native English speakers use phrasal verbs all the time. In casual conversation, in business meetings, in movies and TV shows. If you only learn formal vocabulary, you will understand the news but struggle in real conversation. This list of 100 phrasal verbs covers the most common ones you will hear and need to use. Study a section each day and practise with a tutor to make them stick.
Each phrasal verb below includes a clear definition and an example sentence in natural English. The verbs are grouped alphabetically so you can study in small batches. Bookmark this page and return to it regularly.
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A-D: 25 Common Phrasal Verbs
Start with these. They are among the most frequently used phrasal verbs in everyday English.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ask out | Invite someone on a date | He finally asked her out for coffee. |
| back up | Support someone; reverse a vehicle | My colleague backed me up during the meeting. |
| blow up | Explode; become very angry | My father blew up when he saw the broken window. |
| break down | Stop working; lose emotional control | Our car broke down on the highway yesterday. |
| break up | End a relationship; separate into pieces | They broke up after three years together. |
| bring up | Mention a topic; raise a child | She brought up an important point in the discussion. |
| call back | Return a phone call | I will call you back in ten minutes. |
| call off | Cancel something planned | They called off the meeting due to bad weather. |
| calm down | Become less angry or upset | Take a deep breath and calm down. |
| carry on | Continue doing something | Please carry on with your work. |
| carry out | Perform or complete a task | The team carried out the plan successfully. |
| check in | Arrive and register at a hotel or airport | We checked in at the hotel at 3 pm. |
| check out | Leave a hotel; investigate something | You should check out that new restaurant. |
| clean up | Make something clean and tidy | We need to clean up the kitchen before guests arrive. |
| come across | Find something by accident; seem a certain way | I came across an interesting article yesterday. |
| come up | Happen; arise; be mentioned | Something came up and I cannot make the meeting. |
| count on | Rely or depend on someone | You can count on me to help with the project. |
| cut down | Reduce the amount of something | I am trying to cut down on sugar. |
| cut off | Remove by cutting; interrupt; disconnect | The electricity was cut off during the storm. |
| deal with | Handle or manage something | I will deal with this problem tomorrow. |
| depend on | Be decided by; rely on | The price depends on the season. |
| do without | Manage without having something | We can do without luxuries right now. |
| dress up | Wear formal or special clothes | Everyone dressed up for the wedding. |
| drop by | Visit informally or without notice | Feel free to drop by my office anytime. |
| drop off | Deliver something; fall asleep; decrease | I will drop off the package at your house. |
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E-H: 25 More Common Phrasal Verbs
Keep going. These phrasal verbs are very common in both conversation and writing.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| end up | Finally be in a place or situation | We ended up staying at a small hotel near the beach. |
| figure out | Understand or solve something | I cannot figure out how this app works. |
| fill in | Complete a form; give information | Please fill in this registration form. |
| fill out | Complete a form completely | Fill out the application and submit it online. |
| find out | Discover information | I need to find out what time the train leaves. |
| fix up | Repair or renovate; arrange | They fixed up the old house and sold it. |
| follow up | Take further action after something | I will follow up with the client next week. |
| get along | Have a good relationship with someone | My sister and I get along very well. |
| get over | Recover from illness or disappointment | It took her weeks to get over the flu. |
| get through | Survive a difficult experience; connect by phone | I tried to call but could not get through. |
| give in | Stop resisting; surrender | After hours of negotiation, he finally gave in. |
| give up | Stop trying; quit | Never give up on your dreams. |
| go ahead | Proceed; give permission to start | Go ahead and start without me. |
| go on | Continue; happen | Please go on with your story. |
| grow up | Become an adult | What do you want to be when you grow up? |
| hand in | Submit work or an assignment | Please hand in your homework by Friday. |
| hang out | Spend time relaxing with friends | We like to hang out at the park on weekends. |
| hang up | End a phone call | He hung up before I could say goodbye. |
| hold on | Wait; grip tightly | Hold on for a moment while I check. |
| hurry up | Do something faster | Hurry up or we will miss the bus. |
| keep on | Continue doing something | Keep on practising and you will improve. |
| kick off | Start something; begin | The meeting kicks off at 10 am sharp. |
| knock out | Make unconscious; impress greatly | The boxer knocked out his opponent in round three. |
| leave out | Not include; omit | Make sure you do not leave out any important details. |
| let down | Disappoint someone | I promised I would go and I do not want to let them down. |
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I-N: 25 Essential Phrasal Verbs
Halfway there. These phrasal verbs are very useful in daily life.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look after | Take care of someone or something | She looks after her elderly mother on weekends. |
| look for | Search for something | I am looking for my keys. Have you seen them? |
| look forward to | Be excited about something in the future | I look forward to meeting you next week. |
| look into | Investigate or research | The police are looking into the complaint. |
| look up | Search for information; visit someone | Look up the word in a dictionary. |
| make up | Invent a story; become friends again after a fight | They argued but made up the next day. |
| mix up | Confuse things or people | I mixed up the dates and arrived a day early. |
| move in | Start living in a new home | We are moving into our new apartment next week. |
| move out | Leave a home or residence | My roommate moved out last month. |
| narrow down | Reduce the number of choices | We narrowed down the options to three candidates. |
| note down | Write something down to remember | Let me note down your phone number. |
| open up | Become less shy or private; begin | It took time for him to open up about his feelings. |
| opt out | Choose not to participate | Employees can opt out of the pension scheme. |
| pay back | Return money that was borrowed | I will pay you back on Friday. |
| pay off | Finish paying a debt; yield results | All that hard work finally paid off. |
| pick out | Choose from a group | Can you help me pick out a gift for my mother? |
| pick up | Lift; collect; learn; improve | I picked up some Spanish while travelling. |
| point out | Draw attention to something | She pointed out a mistake in the report. |
| put away | Store in its proper place; save money | Please put away your toys before dinner. |
| put down | Place on a surface; criticise; write | Put down your phone and listen to me. |
| put off | Postpone; delay | Do not put off your homework until the last minute. |
| put on | Wear clothing; start a device; pretend | Put on your coat. It is cold outside. |
| put out | Extinguish; publish; inconvenience | The firefighters put out the fire quickly. |
| put together | Assemble; create; organise | We put together a proposal for the client. |
| run into | Meet unexpectedly; encounter a problem | I ran into an old friend at the supermarket. |
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O-Z: 25 Final Phrasal Verbs
Finish strong. These complete your set of 100 essential phrasal verbs.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| run out | Use up the supply of something | We have run out of milk. Can you buy some? |
| set off | Begin a journey; trigger something | We set off for the airport at 6 am. |
| set up | Establish; arrange; prepare | They set up a new company last year. |
| settle down | Start living a stable life; become calm | After years of travel, she settled down in London. |
| show off | Display proudly; boast | He loves to show off his new car. |
| show up | Arrive; appear | Only five people showed up for the event. |
| shut down | Close permanently; stop operating | The factory shut down due to low demand. |
| slow down | Reduce speed; become less busy | You need to slow down and rest more. |
| sort out | Organise; resolve a problem | We need to sort out the scheduling conflict. |
| speak up | Speak louder; express an opinion | Please speak up so everyone can hear you. |
| stand up | Rise from sitting; cancel a date | He stood me up and I waited an hour. |
| stick to | Continue with; not change | Stick to the plan and we will succeed. |
| take after | Resemble a family member | She takes after her mother. They have the same eyes. |
| take care of | Look after; handle | I will take care of the payment. |
| take off | Remove clothing; leave the ground; become successful | The plane took off on time. |
| take on | Accept a challenge or responsibility | She took on a new role at the company. |
| take over | Gain control of something | A larger company took over our business. |
| talk about | Discuss a topic | We need to talk about the project deadline. |
| think over | Consider carefully | Let me think over your offer and get back to you. |
| throw away | Discard; get rid of | Do not throw away those old magazines. |
| try on | Put on clothing to see if it fits | Can I try on this jacket, please? |
| try out | Test something | I want to try out the new software before buying it. |
| turn down | Refuse an offer; reduce volume | She turned down the job offer. |
| turn on/off | Start/stop a device | Please turn off the lights when you leave. |
| turn up | Arrive; increase volume; be found | My keys turned up in the sofa cushions. |
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How to Practice Phrasal Verbs
Learning 100 phrasal verbs is a great start. But knowing them on paper is different from using them naturally in conversation. Here are three practical tips to make them part of your active vocabulary.
Tip 1: Study in small batches
Do not try to memorise all 100 in one day. Learn 5 verbs each day. Use them in your own sentences. Write them down. Say them out loud. After 20 days, you will know all 100.
Tip 2: Listen and notice
When you watch English TV shows, movies, or YouTube videos, pay attention to phrasal verbs. Write down the ones you hear and check their meaning later. You will be surprised how often they appear.
Tip 3: Practise with a tutor
The best way to learn phrasal verbs is to use them in real conversation. A private tutor can correct your mistakes and help you practise naturally. Book a trial lesson on iTalki to get started.
Practise with a native speaker
The fastest way to master phrasal verbs is real conversation. Book a 1-on-1 lesson with a native English tutor on iTalki. Prices start at $5/hour.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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