30 Phrasal Verbs using “DOWN” with Meanings and Sentences
In this lesson, you will learn 30 useful phrasal verbs using “down” with meanings and sentences.
Phrasal verbs with “down” are very common in everyday English.
They are used to talk about actions such as reducing, stopping, writing, calming, or lowering something.
Native speakers often use expressions like slow down, write down, and turn down in daily conversations.
Learning phrasal verbs using “down” helps you understand spoken English better and sound more natural and fluent while speaking.
This topic is part of our English Phrasal Verbs for English learners.
Break down
Meaning: To stop functioning or to analyze in detail
Sentence: The car broke down on the highway, so we had to call for a tow truck.
Bring down
Meaning: To reduce or make something lower
Sentence: We need to bring down the costs to stay within budget.
Calm down
Meaning: To become less agitated or upset
Sentence: She needed to calm down before making any important decisions.
Carry down
Meaning: To transport something from a higher place to a lower place
Sentence: They carried down the furniture from the attic to the living room.
Cut down
Meaning: To reduce the amount or size of something
Sentence: The doctor advised him to cut down on sugar.
Get down
Meaning: To lower oneself or to become serious
Sentence: It’s time to get down to work and finish this project.
Go down
Meaning: To decrease or to collapse
Sentence: The price of gas is going down this month.
Hold down
Meaning: To keep something in a position or to restrain
Sentence: He had to hold down the lid while the paint dried.
Lay down
Meaning: To place something on a surface or to establish rules
Sentence: She laid down the law about the house rules.
Look down on
Meaning: To regard someone as inferior
Sentence: He tends to look down on people who don’t have a college degree.
Make down
Meaning: To reduce in price
Sentence: They made down the price of the jacket during the sale.
Pass down
Meaning: To transfer something from one generation to another
Sentence: This tradition has been passed down through our family for generations.
Put down
Meaning: To place something on a surface or to insult
Sentence: She put down her bag on the table and joined the meeting.
Run down
Meaning: To lose power or to criticize
Sentence: The battery is running down, so I need to recharge it.
Set down
Meaning: To place something carefully on a surface
Sentence: He set down the box and opened it to see what was inside.
Slow down
Meaning: To reduce speed
Sentence: Please slow down; the road is very slippery.
Sort down
Meaning: To arrange items in a particular order
Sentence: They sorted down the files into alphabetical order.
Take down
Meaning: To remove or write something
Sentence: I need to take down these notes for future reference.
Turn down
Meaning: To reject or lower the volume
Sentence: She turned down the job offer because it didn’t meet her expectations.
Weigh down
Meaning: To burden or make something heavy
Sentence: The emotional stress began to weigh down on him.
Write down
Meaning: To record something in writing
Sentence: He wrote down the important details from the meeting.
Wind down
Meaning: To relax or decrease gradually
Sentence: After a long day, she likes to wind down by reading a book.
Break down into
Meaning: To divide something into smaller parts
Sentence: The project was broken down into smaller tasks.
Chill down
Meaning: To become colder
Sentence: The weather began to chill down as the sun set.
Cool down
Meaning: To lower the temperature or calm down
Sentence: Let the soup cool down before serving.
Drag down
Meaning: To lower or bring someone or something to a worse state
Sentence: The poor performance in the last quarter dragged down the company’s overall results.
Drop down
Meaning: To fall or descend
Sentence: The temperature dropped down significantly after the storm.
Iron down
Meaning: To finalize or resolve something
Sentence: We need to iron down the details before signing the contract.
Lay down the law
Meaning: To establish rules or authority
Sentence: The principal laid down the law about the new school policies.
Settle down
Meaning: To become calm or establish a stable lifestyle
Sentence: After traveling for years, he decided to settle down and start a family.
Conclusion:
Phrasal verbs using “down” are an important part of natural English communication.
By learning these 30 phrasal verbs, you can describe actions, feelings, and situations more clearly and confidently.
These expressions are useful for students, professionals, and everyday English learners.
Practice using them regularly, and your English fluency will improve step by step.
