Browse phrasal verbs

To invite someone on a date or to a social outing, typically in a romantic context.

To request something, or to request to speak to a specific person.

To ask multiple people the same question, typically to gather information or find something.

To reverse a vehicle; to support or confirm someone's statement; to create a copy of data; or to form a blockage.

To withdraw from a position, argument, or confrontation; to stop insisting on something.

To stop pressuring someone, to move away from something, or to reduce an aggressive or intense approach.

To explode or cause an explosion, to suddenly become very angry, or to enlarge something.

To extinguish a flame by blowing air at it, or to fail suddenly.

To move something with a strong gust of wind, to impress someone greatly, or to defeat decisively.

To stop functioning, collapse emotionally, or separate something into smaller components.

To end a romantic relationship, dissolve a group, or separate something into pieces.

To enter a place illegally by force, interrupt a conversation, or gradually make something fit through use.

To start suddenly and with force, escape from confinement, or develop a skin condition.

To overcome a barrier or obstacle and move past it, often after sustained effort.

To detach a piece from a whole, or to suddenly end or suspend a relationship, activity, or conversation.

To raise a child, introduce a topic into conversation, or cause food to come back up from the stomach.

To cause something to happen, especially a significant change or event.

To return something to a place or person, or to cause memories or feelings to resurface.

To reduce a level or amount, or to cause a person, government, or institution to lose power or collapse.

To launch or release a new product, or to reveal and develop a quality in someone.

To introduce something new into a system or situation, or to earn or generate income.

To cancel a planned event, activity, or course of action.

To phone someone again, especially in return for a call they made to you, or to ask someone to return to a place.

To telephone someone, to conscript someone for military service, or to retrieve stored data or memories.

To ask or invite someone to do something, or to pay a visit to someone.

To publicly demand something, to require or make necessary, or to collect someone from a place.

To shout something; to publicly challenge or criticise someone; or to summon someone to a scene.

To become less upset, angry, or excited, or to help someone else do so.

To continue doing something despite difficulties; to behave in an excited or disruptive way; or to have a romantic or sexual affair.

To perform, execute, or complete a task, plan, duty, or instruction.

To reach the same level or position as someone or something that was ahead.

To understand something, or to become widely popular.

To register your arrival at a hotel, airport, or event, or to make brief contact with someone to report your status.

To officially leave a hotel; to look at or investigate something; or (informally) to be very attracted to someone.

To investigate or monitor someone or something to ensure they are behaving correctly or everything is in order.

To become happier, or to make someone else feel happier after they have been sad or worried.

To make a place clean and tidy after a mess; also to make a large profit, or to reform one's behavior.

To arise, appear, or be mentioned; also to approach or to occur unexpectedly.

To produce, think of, or find something needed, such as an idea, plan, answer, or money.

To find or encounter something or someone by chance; or to make a particular impression on others.

To return to a place, state, or activity.

To move to a lower position, decrease in level, or be passed down through generations.

To enter a place, or to arrive or become available.

To emerge, be published or released, or to publicly reveal one's identity or true feelings.

To visit someone at their home or location, or to be suddenly affected by a feeling.

To trust that someone or something will help or behave in an expected way.

To separate something by cutting; to stop a supply; to interrupt someone; or to isolate someone from others.

To reduce the amount of something; to fell a tree; or to knock someone down or kill them.

To remove something by cutting; to stop doing something; for an engine or machine to stop working suddenly; or to be naturally suited for so

To reduce the amount, size, or extent of something, especially spending or activity; also to prune a plant.

To do something again, usually because it was done wrong the first time.

To abolish, eliminate, or get rid of something permanently; informally, to kill someone.

To deliver a person or thing to a place by vehicle; to fall asleep; or to decrease in amount or quality.

To withdraw from a course, competition, organisation, or conventional lifestyle before completion.

To make a short, informal, and usually unplanned visit to someone at their home or workplace.

To make a short, casual, and usually unplanned visit to a person or place.

To eventually reach a place, situation, or condition, especially one that was not planned or expected.

To break into pieces or collapse completely, physically or figuratively.

To fail to keep up with others or with a schedule; to make less progress than expected.

To drop to the ground, or to fail at a specific point.

To become romantically attracted to someone, or to be deceived by a trick or lie.

To drop from a surface, or to decrease in quantity or quality.

To drop or detach from a container, or to have a disagreement that damages a relationship.

Of a plan, deal, or arrangement: to fail to happen or be completed.

To understand or solve something through thinking and reasoning.

To complete missing information on a form, to substitute for someone temporarily, or to inform someone of facts they missed.

To complete all required fields on a form or document, or to become fuller and more rounded in body.

To make a container or space completely full, or to become completely full.

To discover information or a fact, either by searching, asking, or being told.

To rise from bed or a seated position, or to reach a particular level.

To recover from something difficult, such as an illness, loss, or emotional setback.

To have a friendly, harmonious relationship with someone, or to manage adequately in a situation.

To escape from a person, place, or situation, or to take a break by going somewhere.

To return to a place or situation, or to retrieve something that was lost or taken.

To manage to survive or cope with limited resources or in difficult circumstances.

To enter a place, vehicle, or situation, or to arrive somewhere.

To leave or disembark from a vehicle or surface, or to avoid punishment.

To board a vehicle, make progress, or have a good relationship with someone.

To leave a place or vehicle, or to help information or a product reach the public.

To successfully complete or survive something difficult, or to make contact with someone.

To meet or assemble with others socially or for a shared purpose.

To remove, discard, or free oneself from something or someone unwanted.

To do something wrong or risky without facing consequences or being caught.

To stop trying at something, to abandon a habit or activity, or to surrender someone or something.

To give something to someone for free, to reveal a secret unintentionally, or to escort a bride at a wedding.

To return something to the person it belongs to, or to contribute to a community as a way of expressing gratitude.

To stop resisting and accept something, or to submit work or a document to someone.

To distribute something to a group of people, to stop working or functioning, or to come to an end.

To proceed with an action; or used to give someone permission to do something.

To return to a place, person, or state; or to date from a period in the past.

To continue, to happen, to speak further, or to urge someone to do something.

To leave a place, to be extinguished, to be in a romantic relationship, or to be eliminated from a competition.

To review, examine, or repeat something in order to check or understand it; also to cross to the other side of something.

To experience something difficult, examine something carefully, or consume a supply of something.

To move to a higher position, for a price or level to increase, for a building to be constructed, or for something to catch fire.

To make a sudden loud noise, to stop liking something, to explode, or for food to become rotten.

To leave a place; to take a trip; or (of a problem) to disappear.

To develop from a child into an adult; also used to tell someone to behave more maturely.

To submit or deliver something, especially work or a formal item, to someone in authority.

To distribute something to a number of people, either physically or figuratively.

To give control, possession, or custody of something to another person or authority.

To end a phone call; to put something on a hook or hanger; or (figuratively) to stop doing an activity permanently.

To spend relaxed, informal time with friends or in a place; also to display something by hanging it in the open air.

To wait; to hold onto something; or to persist through difficulty.

To wait, or to grip something firmly in order not to fall or let go.

To support something physically, to delay, to endure, or to rob someone at gunpoint

To prevent someone or something from moving forward, or to restrain an emotion or piece of information.

To maintain something at its current level, or to continue doing something without stopping.

To continue doing something, often despite difficulty or opposition.

To move or progress at the same rate as someone or something else, or to stay informed about ongoing developments.

To forcefully remove someone from a place, group, or position.

To render someone unconscious with a blow, to eliminate a competitor, or to impress someone greatly.

To stop working or doing something, to produce something quickly, or to reduce a price.

To dismiss employees due to lack of work or funds, or to stop doing something harmful or annoying.

To place something flat on a surface, to establish rules or principles, or to surrender a weapon.

To disappoint someone by failing to do what was expected, or to lower something gradually.

To allow someone or something to enter a place, or to allow light, water, or air to pass through.

To allow someone or something to exit, to make a sound suddenly, or to expand clothing at the seams.

To secure a building by locking all doors and windows, or to put someone in jail.

To prevent someone from entering a place by locking the door, or to be accidentally denied access.

To feel excited or pleased about something that is going to happen.

To search for information in a reference source; to raise your eyes; or (of a situation) to improve.

To take care of someone or something, making sure they are safe and have everything they need.

To investigate or examine something carefully in order to find out more about it.

A warning to be alert to immediate danger, or to watch carefully for something.

To examine or review something fairly quickly, often to check for problems.

To regard someone or something as inferior, unimportant, or beneath you socially, morally, or intellectually.

To admire and respect someone, often wanting to be like them.

To invent a story or excuse; to reconcile after a quarrel; to constitute or form a whole; or to apply cosmetics.

To see, hear, or understand something with difficulty; to claim something is true; to kiss and caress romantically; or to write a cheque/for

To compensate for something negative by providing something positive in return.

To confuse two or more things or people, or to combine ingredients together.

To continue to the next stage, topic, or phase; or to leave behind a situation, relationship, or period of life and begin something new.

To start living in a new home or place; also to move closer to something or someone, especially in order to take action.

To leave a place where you have been living and go to live somewhere else.

A gentle, respectful way of saying that someone has died.

To lose consciousness suddenly, or to distribute something to a group of people.

To transmit something to another person, to decline an offer, or (as a euphemism) to die.

To return money owed, or to take revenge on someone who has wronged you.

To finish repaying a debt, to yield a desired result after effort, or to bribe someone.

To lift something from the ground, collect someone or something, learn informally, or improve.

To choose or select something from a group, or to identify or notice something among others.

To repeatedly treat someone in an unkind or unfair way; to bully or persistently target someone.

To direct someone's attention to a fact, error, or feature, either verbally or physically

To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop, or for a police officer to signal a driver to do so.

To remove something or someone from a place, or to withdraw from an activity, agreement, or location.

To succeed in doing something difficult or unexpected, or to remove something by pulling.

To survive or recover from a serious illness, difficulty, or crisis.

To delay something to a later time; or to cause someone to feel discouraged, disgusted, or less interested.

To place clothing or an accessory on your body; to activate a device; to perform or stage something; to pretend or feign.

To extinguish a flame or light; to publish or release something; to cause someone inconvenience or annoyance; to dislocate a body part.

To tolerate or accept something unpleasant, annoying, or difficult without complaining strongly.

To return something to its proper storage place; also to eat or drink large amounts, send someone to prison, or save money.

To place something on a surface; to criticise or humiliate someone; to end an animal's life humanely; or to suppress a rebellion.

To assemble parts into a whole; to prepare or create something by combining elements; to collect and organize.

To meet someone by chance, to collide with something, or to encounter a problem

To have no more of something left, or to leave a place by running

To drive a vehicle over a person or thing, to review something quickly, or to exceed a time limit

To flee from a place or person, or to avoid dealing with a problem.

To prepare, arrange, or establish something so that it is ready to use or function.

To begin a journey, to cause something to activate or explode, or to cause a reaction in someone or something.

To begin a journey or task with a clear purpose, or to arrange and display things, or to explain something clearly.

To delay progress or development, or to cost someone a specified amount of money.

To arrive or appear somewhere, often unexpectedly or after being awaited.

To display one's abilities or possessions in a way intended to impress others.

To stop a machine, system, or operation from functioning, either temporarily or permanently.

To stop talking, or to force someone else to stop talking.

To resolve a problem or bring a confused situation into order.

To rise from a seated or lying position, or to fail to appear for a planned meeting with someone.

To be clearly noticeable or superior compared to others in a group.

To represent something symbolically, or to tolerate behavior that one finds unacceptable.

To defend or support a person, belief, or principle, especially in the face of opposition.

To continue following a plan, rule, or commitment without deviation.

To protrude beyond a surface or boundary, or to be conspicuously noticeable.

To continue using, supporting, or staying close to someone or something.

To leave the ground and begin flying, to remove something worn, or to suddenly become successful.

To accept responsibility for a task or role, or to compete against an opponent.

To gain control of something that was previously managed by someone else.

To begin a new hobby or activity, or to occupy space or time.

To remove something from a place, or to bring someone somewhere as a social outing.

To return something to its original place or owner, or to withdraw a statement.

To resemble a parent or older relative in appearance, personality, or behavior.

To disassemble something into its individual components, or to criticize something harshly.

To look after someone or something, or to deal with a task or problem.

To discuss a matter thoroughly with one or more people in order to reach understanding or a decision.

To persuade someone to do something they were initially reluctant or unwilling to do.

To persuade someone not to do something they were planning or intending to do.

To rip something into many small pieces, or to cause strong emotional distress.

To demolish a structure completely, or to undermine someone's confidence or reputation.

To consider a matter carefully and at length before making a decision.

To direct one's mental attention toward something, or to consider a possibility.

To create or invent something—such as an idea, plan, or excuse—through mental effort.

To discard something one no longer needs, or to waste an opportunity or resource.

To discard something unwanted, to forcibly expel someone from a place, or to reject a proposal.

To vomit, or to produce something suddenly, or to abandon something abruptly.

To put on a piece of clothing or accessory to see if it fits or looks good.

To test something or someone in practice to evaluate performance or suitability.

To activate a device or supply, or to cause excitement or attraction in someone.

To deactivate a device or supply, or to cause someone to lose interest or feel repelled.

To arrive, especially unexpectedly, or to increase the volume or intensity of something.

To refuse an offer or request, or to reduce the volume or intensity of something.

To rotate to face the opposite direction, or to reverse a negative situation into a positive one.

To submit something to an authority, or to go to bed for the night.

To result in a particular way, or to come to a place in large numbers.

To flip something to its other side, or to transfer control or possession to someone else.

To consume the entire supply of something so that none remains.

To stop sleeping and become conscious, or to make someone aware of something important.

To be alert and careful to avoid danger or an unpleasant situation.

To exercise physically, or to find a solution to a problem, or to develop successfully.

To spend time and effort developing, improving, or completing something.

To gradually develop, build, or increase something through effort or stages.

To record something in writing so it is not forgotten or can be referred to later.

To fasten something — typically clothing or a bag — by closing its zipper.

An archaic or rare phrasal verb meaning to lessen or decrease in some quality or degree.

To accept and act in accordance with a rule, decision, or agreement.

A highly informal or slang expression meaning to leave abruptly or to dismiss someone.

To give all your attention and energy to an activity so that you forget about everything else.

To mentally ignore specific details in order to focus on the general or essential aspects of something.

To be next to or touching something at a boundary, used of land or buildings.

To explain something, to be responsible for it, or to represent a particular proportion of a total.

Used in fixed expressions such as 'on account of' (because of) or 'take account of' (to consider), rather than as a standalone phrasal verb.

To be responsible or answerable to a person or authority for your actions.

To officially recognize or attribute a quality, achievement, or belief to a person.

To gain entry to a school, competition, or position by performing outstandingly well.

To defeat or outperform someone decisively, or to manoeuvre someone out of a position.

To feel a strong, often painful, desire or longing for someone or something.

To take an action that opposes, contradicts, or works contrary to something.

To take action based on information, advice, or instructions received.

To perform or dramatise a situation, or to express emotions through behaviour rather than words.

To behave badly or in a difficult way, or (of a machine or body part) to stop working properly.

A formal variant of 'act on': to take action based on information, advice, or a recommendation.

To include an extra feature, charge, or element to something that already exists.

To calculate a total, or figuratively, to seem logical or consistent.

To result in a particular total or to represent a particular meaning or significance.

To place a child (or sometimes an animal) with adoptive parents; to arrange for someone to be adopted by another family.

To become too old to qualify for or participate in a particular programme, benefit, or system.

To advance to an older age category, or (in fiction/games) to represent a character as older.

To share the same opinion as someone, or (of food/climate) to suit someone's health.

To direct a weapon, camera, or effort toward a target, or to design something for a specific group.

A rare or regional expression meaning to allow air to cool or dry something, or to ventilate briefly.

To allow fresh air into a room or onto an object to remove stale smells or dampness, or figuratively to openly discuss a problem.

To inflate a tyre, ball, or other object by adding air to it.

An archaic or rare variant of 'allot to', meaning to assign or distribute a portion of something to a person or group.

To include extra time, money, or space in a plan to deal with something that might happen.

To adopt a more dominant, assertive, or confident manner, especially in social or competitive situations.

To stock up on ammunition, or figuratively to gather arguments, facts, or resources in preparation for a confrontation.

To reduce intensity, energy, or volume; the opposite of 'amp up'.

To increase the intensity, energy, volume, or strength of something.

To try to get something you want indirectly, often through hints or clever maneuvering.

To reply rudely or cheekily to someone in authority, especially a parent or teacher.

To be responsible for something and accept the consequences, or to speak on behalf of someone else.

To be accountable to someone, or to respond to a particular name or description.

To respond promptly and honestly when questioned or challenged, especially in a direct or assertive way.

To place your initial stake in a card game (especially poker) to enter the round, or figuratively to commit resources to something.

To put in your initial stake in a gambling game, or to pay or contribute money, especially when required to participate in something.

To invest in a cryptocurrency, stock, or financial asset impulsively and without proper research, often following hype.

To flatter or try to impress someone in authority, especially a teacher or boss, in order to gain favour.

To suddenly become angry or agitated, or to cause someone to become angry.

To defeat someone in an argument or to convince someone to accept a lower price through negotiation.

To settle a disagreement or find a solution by discussing it thoroughly, even if it involves debate.

To supply or distribute weapons or equipment outward to others, especially to external groups or allies.

To equip oneself or others with weapons, or to build up military or defensive capability.

To reach a place or, figuratively, to come to a conclusion or decision after thought or discussion.

To waste time doing silly or unproductive things; to behave foolishly or irresponsibly.

To waste time, behave foolishly, or deal with something in an unhelpfully indirect or incompetent way.

To ruin or make a mess of something through incompetence or carelessness.

To make something look more artistic or decorative, often by adding visual design elements.

To ask about someone's health, wellbeing, or news, usually as a polite social gesture.

To invite someone to come back to your home or a place after they have left, or to invite someone in return after they have invited you.

To behave in a way that makes something bad or negative very likely to happen to you.

To invite someone to come inside your home or a building.

To invite someone to come to your home or current location.

To invite someone to come to your home; chiefly British English.

Vulgar slang meaning to abandon someone or withdraw from a commitment at the last moment.

To give care, attention, or service to someone or something.

To sell something by holding an auction, where buyers bid and the highest bidder wins.

Aviation slang for an aircraft crashing nose-first into the ground in a spiraling motion.

An investing strategy where you buy more of an asset as its price falls, reducing your overall average purchase cost.

To result in a middle or balanced figure when all values are considered together.

An investing strategy of buying more of an asset as its price rises, increasing the average purchase price.

To treat someone or something with excessive care, gentleness, or pampering.

To move backwards away from someone or something, or to withdraw from a position or commitment.

To move a vehicle in reverse into a space, or to return to a previous position or situation.

To reverse a vehicle into something, to collide with something while moving backwards, or to enter a situation indirectly or by chance.

To reverse a vehicle out of a space, typically a garage or tight parking spot.

Of a building or property: to have its back (rear) facing or adjacent to something.

Of a building or property: to have its back (rear) directly adjacent to or facing something.

To withdraw from a commitment, agreement, or plan, especially after promising to take part.

To gain entry to a building or secure area by scanning or presenting an electronic access badge.

To exit a building or secure area by scanning or presenting an electronic access badge, or to record departure in an access control system.

To provide someone with or put on an identification badge, typically before an event or on starting a new role.

Caribbean English slang meaning to damage, harm, or ruin something or someone, or to make something worse.

To put bags or heavy items down on the ground or floor, especially after carrying them.

British slang meaning to successfully attract a sexual or romantic partner, especially at a party or bar.

Australian slang meaning to criticize or speak negatively about someone.

To put things into bags, especially for storage, transport, or sale.

To abandon a person, plan, or commitment, often suddenly and without adequate notice.

To rescue someone from trouble, or to escape from a difficult or dangerous situation.

To abandon or desert someone, especially at a critical or difficult moment.

To stop and detain someone by force or threat, or to corner someone for a conversation.