100 Most Common English Phrasal Verbs and How to Use Them

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Complete Guide to Phrasal Verbs in English: List and Usage Tips

Phrasal verbs are common English expressions that combine a verb with a preposition or adverb to create new meanings. For instance, “turn off” means “to turn off” a device, and “look after” means “to take care of.” These combinations are extremely frequent in everyday English and are used in both informal conversations and more formal contexts. For English learners, phrasal verbs can be challenging. So, let’s break down these expressions, understand their importance, and learn how to use them.

Importance of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are essential not only to understand the language but also to achieve fluency in natural English. Without adequate knowledge of phrasal verbs, a sentence may seem complex or confusing, even if the individual words are familiar. Furthermore, phrasal verbs enrich vocabulary, help convey thoughts more clearly, and add a natural tone to English speech and writing.

Familiarity with phrasal verbs also allows for more efficient communication since they often express complex ideas quickly and concisely. For example, “put off” means “to postpone,” and “run out” means “to be out of” something—both offering quick, practical understanding.

List of the 100 Most Used Phrasal Verbs

Here’s a list of the most-used phrasal verbs by Americans. Use it to study and practice English more effectively, making communication more intuitive and confident. Embrace these expressions to sound more fluent and better understand spoken and written English daily.

1. Ask for – To request. Example: He asked for a cup of coffee.
2. Back up – To support. Example: She backed up her friend during the argument.
3. Blow up – To explode. Example: The bomb blew up in the middle of the street.
4. Break down – To break, stop working. Example: My car broke down on the way home.
5. Break up – To end a relationship. Example: They decided to break up after five years together.
6. Bring about – To cause. Example: The new policy brought about significant changes.
7. Bring in – To introduce. Example: They brought in a new manager to improve the team.
8. Bring up – To mention, raise (a child). Example: She brought up an interesting point in the meeting.
9. Call back – To return a call. Example: I’ll call you back later.
10. Call off – To cancel. Example: The meeting was called off due to bad weather.
11. Call up – To call someone. Example: I’ll call him up to confirm the meeting.
12. Carry on – To continue. Example: Despite the challenges, he carried on with his project.
13. Catch up – To reach someone’s level. Example: She worked hard to catch up with the rest of the team.
14. Check out – To check, check out of a hotel. Example: We need to check out of the hotel by noon.
15. Come across – To find by chance. Example: I came across my old photos while cleaning.
16. Come back – To return. Example: She came back from vacation yesterday.
17. Come out – To be released, appear. Example: Her new book comes out next month.
18. Come up with – To suggest, propose. Example: We need to come up with a new plan.
19. Cut back – To reduce. Example: We need to cut back on spending.
20. Cut down – To reduce. Example: He needs to cut down on sugar.
21. Cut off – To interrupt, cut off. Example: The phone call was cut off suddenly.
22. Deal with – To handle. Example: She deals with customer complaints every day.
23. Do without – To live without something. Example: I can’t do without my morning coffee.
24. Dress up – To dress formally. Example: You don’t need to dress up for the party.
25. Drop by – To visit briefly. Example: I’ll drop by your house later.
26. Drop off – To take someone somewhere. Example: Can you drop me off at the station?
27. End up – To end up being. Example: He ended up going to the party alone.
28. Fall apart – To fall apart. Example: Their relationship fell apart after the argument.
29. Fall out – To fall out, quarrel. Example: They fell out over a trivial issue.
30. Figure out – To figure out, understand. Example: I finally figured out how to use this software.
31. Fill in – To fill out, complete. Example: Please fill in this form.
32. Find out – To find out. Example: I found out that she’s moving to another city.
33. Get along – To get along well. Example: They get along really well with each other.
34. Get away – To escape. Example: The thief managed to get away from the police.
35. Get back – To return. Example: I’ll get back to you soon.
36. Get by – To get by, manage. Example: He can get by with just a little money.
37. Get in – To enter. Example: She got in the car and drove away.
38. Get in touch – To get in touch. Example: I need to get in touch with her about the project.
39. Get over – To get over, overcome. Example: It took him months to get over the breakup.
40. Give away – To give, donate. Example: They gave away their old clothes to charity.
41. Give in – To give in. Example: After much debate, he finally gave in.
42. Give up – To give up. Example: She gave up smoking last year.
43. Go after – To pursue. Example: He went after his dream job.
44. Go ahead – To go ahead. Example: You can go ahead and start without me.
45. Go away – To go away. Example: The pain won’t go away.
46. Go on – To continue. Example: Please go on with your story.
47. Go over – To review. Example: Let’s go over the report before submitting it.
48. Grow up – To grow up. Example: I grew up in a small town.
49. Hand in – To hand in, submit. Example: She handed in her resignation yesterday.
50. Hang out – To hang out with friends. Example: We’re going to hang out at the mall.
51. Hold on – To hold on, wait. Example: Hold on a minute; I’ll be right back.
52. Hold up – To delay. Example: The traffic held us up for over an hour.
53. Keep on – To keep on, continue. Example: He kept on talking even after the meeting ended.
54. Keep up with – To keep up with. Example: It’s hard to keep up with all the changes.
55. Lay off – To lay off, dismiss. Example: The company had to lay off several employees.
56. Let down – To disappoint. Example: I’m sorry to let you down, but I can’t come.
57. Look after – To take care of. Example: She looks after her younger brother.
58. Look forward to – To look forward to. Example: I’m looking forward to our trip next week.
59. Look into – To investigate. Example: The police are looking into the matter.
60. Look up – To look up. Example: You can look up the meaning in the dictionary.
61. Make out – To make out, distinguish. Example: I can’t make out what he’s saying.
62. Make up – To make up, invent, reconcile. Example: He made up an excuse for being late.
63. Move on – To move on. Example: It’s time to move on after the breakup.
64. Pass away – To pass away. Example: His grandfather passed away last year.
65. Pay back – To pay back. Example: I’ll pay you back as soon as I get my salary.
66. Pick up – To pick up, pick someone up. Example: I’ll pick you up at 7 p.m.
67. Point out – To point out. Example: She pointed out a mistake in the report.
68. Put away – To put away. Example: Please put away your toys after playing.
69. Put off – To put off, delay. Example: They decided to put off the meeting until tomorrow.
70. Put on – To put on (clothes), turn on (an appliance). Example: He put on his jacket and left.
71. Put up with – To tolerate. Example: I can’t put up with his rude behavior anymore.
72. Run into – To run into, bump into. Example: I ran into an old friend at the supermarket.
73. Run out of – To run out of. Example: We ran out of milk; I’ll go buy more.
74. Run over – To run over. Example: He was run over by a car on his way to work.
75. Set off – To set off (on a trip). Example: They set off on their road trip early this morning.
76. Set up – To set up, arrange. Example: We need to set up the equipment before the presentation.
77. Show off – To show off. Example: He loves to show off his new car.
78. Show up – To show up. Example: He didn’t show up for the meeting.
79. Shut down – To shut down. Example: The company shut down its operations in the region.
80. Sit down – To sit down. Example: Please sit down and wait for your turn.
81. Stand up – To stand up. Example: Everyone stood up when the teacher entered the room.
82. Stick to – To stick to (a plan, rule). Example: It’s important to stick to your budget.
83. Take after – To take after (family member). Example: He takes after his father in his personality.
84. Take off – To take off (airplane), take off (clothes). Example: The plane took off on time.
85. Take over – To take over. Example: He will take over the project next month.
86. Take up – To take up (space), start a new activity. Example: She decided to take up yoga.
87. Talk about – To talk about. Example: They talked about their plans for the summer.
88. Talk over – To discuss. Example: We need to talk over the details before making a decision.
89. Throw away – To throw away. Example: Don’t throw away your old clothes; donate them.
90. Throw up – To vomit. Example: He felt so sick that he had to throw up.
91. Turn around – To turn around. Example: Turn around and look at this beautiful view.
92. Turn down – To refuse. Example: He turned down the job offer.
93. Turn in – To hand in (a document), go to bed. Example: Don’t forget to turn in your homework tomorrow.
94. Turn off – To turn off (a device). Example: Can you turn off the lights when you leave?
95. Turn on – To turn on. Example: Turn on the heater; it’s getting cold.
96. Turn up – To arrive, appear. Example: She turned up late for the meeting.
97. Wake up – To wake up. Example: I wake up at 7 a.m. every day.
98. Warm up – To warm up. Example: She warmed up before the race.
99. Work out – To exercise, solve. Example: I work out at the gym every morning.
100. Write down – To write down. Example: Please write down your name on the form.

How to Memorize Phrasal Verbs Effectively

For English learners, phrasal verbs might seem complicated at first glance, but with the right strategies, you can memorize them naturally and effectively. By applying simple, consistent techniques like organizing lists by themes and practicing regularly, you can master these commonly used verbs in everyday English. Here are some tips to help you remember phrasal verbs more easily:

1. Make thematic lists (e.g., travel, work phrasal verbs).
2. Use flashcards for frequent practice.
3. Watch English movies and shows to hear phrasal verbs in real-life usage.

Remember, mastering phrasal verbs makes communication in English more natural and direct. Practice them regularly and incorporate them into your daily routine to improve your fluency and comprehension. Enjoy the list and tips provided!

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