40 English Phrasal Verbs with Meanings

Phrasal verbs are a very important part of everyday English.

Native speakers use phrasal verbs in daily conversations, movies, offices, and informal writing.

However, many English learners find phrasal verbs difficult because their meanings are often different from the individual words.

Learning common English phrasal verbs with clear meanings helps learners understand real English and speak more naturally.

This blog post, “40 English Phrasal Verbs with Meanings,” is specially created for students, beginners, and ESL learners.

In this post, you will learn commonly used phrasal verbs along with their simple meanings, making them easy to understand and remember for daily use.

This topic is part of our English Phrasal Verbs for English learners.

1. Bring up

Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic.

Example: She brought up the idea of going to the beach.

2. Call off

Meaning: To cancel something.

Example: The match was called off due to rain.

3. Carry on

Meaning: To continue doing something.

Example: Even after the interruption, they carried on with the meeting.

4. Cheer up

Meaning: To make someone feel happier.

Example: A funny movie can cheer you up when you’re sad.

5. Come across

Meaning: To find something by chance.

Example: I came across an old photo album in the attic.

6. Cut down on

Meaning: To reduce the amount of something.

Example: He’s trying to cut down on sugar.

7. Do away with

Meaning: To get rid of something.

Example: The company plans to do away with old computers.

8. Drop off

Meaning: To leave someone or something at a place.

Example: I’ll drop you off at the station.

9. Figure out

Meaning: To understand or solve something.

Example: She’s trying to figure out how to use the new software.

10. Fill out

Meaning: To complete a form or document.

Example: Please fill out this application form.

11. Find out

Meaning: To learn or discover something.

Example: I just found out about the new policy.

12. Get along

Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.

Example: They get along well with their neighbors.

13. Get away

Meaning: To escape or take a short break.

Example: We’re planning to get away for the weekend.

14. Give up

Meaning: To stop trying or quit something.

Example: Don’t give up on your dreams.

15. Go over

Meaning: To review or examine something.

Example: Let’s go over the report before the meeting.

16. Grow up

Meaning: To become older or mature.

Example: She grew up in a small town.

17. Hang out

Meaning: To spend time with someone.

Example: They love hanging out at the café after school.

18. Hold on

Meaning: To wait for a short time.

Example: Please hold on while I transfer your call.

19. Keep up with

Meaning: To stay updated or maintain the same pace.

Example: It’s hard to keep up with all the new trends.

20. Look after

Meaning: To take care of someone or something.

Example: She looks after her younger brother while their parents are at work.

21. Look for

Meaning: To search for something.

Example: He’s looking for his lost keys.

22. Look forward to

Meaning: To be excited about something in the future.

Example: I’m looking forward to the holiday season.

23. Make up

Meaning: To create or invent something, or to reconcile after a fight.

Example 1: She made up an excuse for being late.
Example 2: They made up after the argument.

24. Pass out

Meaning: To faint or lose consciousness.

Example: He passed out from the heat during the marathon.

25. Pick up

Meaning: To collect someone or something.

Example: I’ll pick you up from the airport at 6 PM.

26. Put off

Meaning: To delay or postpone something.

Example: The meeting has been put off until next week.

27. Put on

Meaning: To wear something.

Example: He put on his jacket before going outside.

28. Run into

Meaning: To meet someone unexpectedly.

Example: I ran into an old friend at the supermarket.

29. Run out of

Meaning: To have no more of something.

Example: We’ve run out of milk. Can you buy some?

30. Set up

Meaning: To arrange or establish something.

Example: They set up a new office downtown.

31. Show up

Meaning: To appear or arrive somewhere.

Example: She showed up late to the party.

32. Sort out

Meaning: To organize or solve a problem.

Example: He needs to sort out his financial issues.

33. Take off

Meaning: To remove something (like clothing) or when a plane leaves the ground.

Example 1: He took off his shoes before entering the house.
Example 2: The plane took off at 10 AM.

34. Take up

Meaning: To start doing a new activity.

Example: She has taken up yoga to stay fit.

35. Turn down

Meaning: To reject or refuse something.

Example: He turned down the job offer.

36. Turn off

Meaning: To stop a machine or device.

Example: Please turn off the lights when you leave.

37. Turn on

Meaning: To start a machine or device.

Example: Can you turn on the TV?

38. Work out

Meaning: To exercise or to find a solution.

Example 1: He works out at the gym every day.
Example 2: They worked out a plan to solve the problem.

39. Write down

Meaning: To record something on paper.

Example: Please write down the instructions so you don’t forget.

40. Zoom in

Meaning: To focus closely on something, often with a camera.

Example: Zoom in on the image to see the details.

Final Thoughts

Phrasal verbs are an important part of English communication.

They might seem overwhelming at first, but with practice, they become easier to understand and use.

Start by learning a few at a time, and soon you’ll be able to use them naturally in conversations.

Bookmark this list and come back to it whenever you need to refresh your knowledge.

Do you have a favorite phrasal verb from the list? Share it in the comments below!