50 Phrasal Verbs, Definition and Example Sentences
Here are 50 phrasal verbs, definition and example sentences;
Table of Contents
Catch out
to show that sb is doing wrong
One day he caught her out when he found some letters she’d written.
Catch up on (sth)
to deal with a special activity to complete it.
You have to catch up on your reading.
Catch (sb) up on (sth)
to give sb the latest news or information about sth
Can someone catch us up on the latest news?
Catch on
to become popular
This game will catch on among young people.
Catch up (sb)
to reach sb by walking faster
John caught up with you later.
Catch up in (sth)
to be involved in sth unwillingly
They weren’t part of the conflict; they were just caught up in it.
Clear away
Meaning: to take away sth to clear a place
Example Sentence: You should clear away all your toys before bedtime.
Clear out (of)
Meaning: to leave a place
Example Sentence: She’ll clear out of the house in two weeks.
Carry out
Perform a task
I would like to carry out the plan.
Carry on with
Continue
I want you to carry on with the work while I am out of country.
Get on
Enter a train, bus, plane etc… to climb on board
I think they get on the wrong train.
Drop off
Take somebody to a place
Where do you want me to drop you off?
Set off
Start a journey
They set off for London just after five.
Stop over
Stay at a place for a night on the way to somewhere else
They stopped over in Singapore on their way to Australia.
Get away
Take a vacation, especially because you need a rest
I would love to get away and go to the beach next month.
Hang around
to move or to do sth slowly
Don’t hang around, you have a train to catch!
Hang on
to wait for a short time
Hang on a minute; I’m just coming.
Hang out
to spend a lot of time in a place
We will spend the whole day hanging out by the pool.
Hang over
to hover over
The clouds of war will hang over the east.
Keep from
refrain, control yourself
I couldn’t keep from playing football.
Keep in
not allow someone out.
Children were kept in after school.
Keep away
to avoid someone or something
You must keep away medicines from children.
Make after
to chase or follow
The policeman made after the thief.
Make up
to make peace
Please come back. I want to make up.
Make out
to succeed in business
How are you making out in your new job?
Make up for
to recover, make sth better
Nothing can make up for the loss of a child.
Make into
to change sth into sth else
We had made the living room into an office.
Read back
to read something again
Please read back the text of the message.
Read up on sth
to read a lot about in order to learn about it
I read up on the history of the World War II.
Read over
look for mistakes or check details
I asked her to read over my essay.
Read through
to read quickly beginning to the end
Always read through your work when you’ve finished.
Look ahead
to think about future
The past is past. Let us look ahead.
Look forward to
something that is going to happen
He had worked hard and was looking forward to his retirement.
Look in
to pay a short visit
You’ll look in and say hello when you have time.
Take over
to get control of sth
He can take over the business when I’m away.
Take away
to remove sth/sb from
Take away the glasses and the tray.
Cut in
to interrupt
When you cut in on our conversation, we were talking.
Cut into
to shortening into parts or to make sth smaller
Knives easily cut into the cake.
Cut across
to make a shorter route
If I cut across the field, it’ll save time.
Cut through
to go through by cutting
We cut through the solid rock to build the tunnel .
Let up
Meaning; to stop or to diminish
Example Sentence; When the rain lets up, you can go to outside.
Run across
Meaning:
to meet or to find unexpectedly
Example Sentence:
I ran across some old friends at the party.
Run away
Meaning:
to leave a place or sb
Example Sentence:
The prisoners ran away from the prison.
Put down
Meaning:
to write
Example Sentence:
Put down your name in capitals.
Put on
Meaning:
to wear
Example Sentence:
She put on a new pair of nylon socks.
Run into
Meaning:
to experience sth unexpectedly
Example Sentence:
I’ve run into a difficulty with the project.
Run against
Meaning:
to oppose towards sb or sth
Example Sentence:
Luck was really running against you yesterday!
Set to
Meaning:
to make sb feel sad
Example Sentence:
When my work gets me down, I want to resign.
Set aside
Meaning:
to keep sth available for a purpose
Example Sentence:
We set aside some money for repairs.
Set in
Meaning:
to take root, start and continue
Example Sentence:
The rainy season has set in.