Phrasal Verbs Example Sentences

List of common phrasal verbs with meaning and example sentences.

Phrasal Verbs Examples

• Different drugs act on (affect) different parts of our body in many different ways.
• Children may act up (cause trouble) in class in an effort to get attention.
• I will answer for (guarantee) his debt, if he can’t pay on the day.
• Could you back off (lower the setting of) the volume a bit? It’s really loud.
• That beeping sound indicates that the truck is backing up (moving backwards).
• I couldn’t see how to finish the project, so I backed up (undo) and tried it another way.
• I expect John will be along (arrive) soon.
• I got some bad news this morning, so I‘m a bit down (depressed) at the moment.
• Because of the big sale, the price of these shirts is now down to (be reduced) four dollars
• I think you are down with (be ill) the flu.
• I‘m fed up (be bored) with my job.
• I’m sorry; I’m not with (agree with) you on this point.
• I beat off (waste time) at work all day; I didn’t get anything done.
• She was brought up in a very religious household, but broke away (leave suddenly) from the church in her teens.
• I’ve decided to break it off (end a relationship) with her.
• I finally broke into (opened) the second package of cookies.
• I hope to bring about (achieve) a successful conclusion.
• Sam was sure he could bring them around (convince) to the deal.
• The latest budget reforms are intended to bring down (reduce) the level of inflation.
• He has the ability to bring forth (create) new ideas when they are needed.
• Don’t bring up (mention) politics if you want to have a quiet conversation with that guy.
• She did well enough bringing up (raise) two sons and a daughter on her own.
• I was very ill today; I kept bringing up (vomit) everything I ate.
• I need a truck to carry off (transport away) all this furniture.
• Malaria carried off (cause death) many people.
• It is difficult to carry on (maintain) a conversation with so many distractions.
• She finally carried out (fulfill) her lifelong ambition when she appeared in a Hollywood blockbuster.
• The government has called for (request) an end to hostilities in the region.
• He checked out (investigate) the rumor, and managed to verify that it was true.
• We checked by (visit) the office to see if the stuff was ready.
• Can you tell me how the accident came about (happen)?
• Don’t try to come after (follow) me.
• I’d like you to come along (accompany) with me to the opera.
• Your English is really coming along (make progress)!
• The cup just came apart (break) in my hands.
• As I backed away, he came at (attack) me with a knife.
• I′m not going to come at (try) that again. Too risky.
• I left work and came back (return) home early.
• F comes before (precede) G in the alphabet.
• Real estate prices have come down (decrease) since the peak of the boom.
• The company came down on (punish) him very hard after he was found skipping work.
• Please come in (enter) and look around.
• That flight just came in (arrive).
• After his father died, he came into (inherit) a large fortune.
• Did the trip to Paris ever come off (take place)?
• The new garden is coming on (develop) nicely.
• I apologise for my behaviour last night. I don’t know what came over (affect) me.
• The team came through (succeed) in the end and won the pennant.
• I’ll let you know if any vacancies come up (happen).
• He came up (appear) before a judge and was fined a thousand dollars.          
• It’ll be warmer once the sun comes up (rise).
• We’re going out to lunch. Do you want to come with (join)?
• We need to cut back heavily on (reduce) office supplies. 
• If we cut out (remove) the middle-man, we will both have better profits.
• He has his work cut out (arrange) for him.
• That is where your reasoning falls down (fail).
• It seemed like a good idea, so we fell in with (accept) it.
• How are you getting along with (handle) your schoolwork?
• I don’t understand. What are you getting at (mean)?
• I‘ve got some things to do for about an hour. After that, get at (contact) me.
• The train got away (depart) exactly on time.
• She claims the publishers never really got behind (support) her new book.
• Nothing gets me down (discourage) so much as a rainy day.
• Jane’s always getting down on (criticise) the kids.
• If I wake up during the night, I cannot get off (fall asleep) again.
• In case of fire, get out (escape) by the nearest exit.
• I’m trying to get over (overcome) my fear of flying.
• She got through (finish) her book this morning!
• He got up (criticise) me about the mess I made in the kitchen.
• Give me back (return) my book!
• What he did goes against (violate) the rules.
• Careful, he’ll go for (attack) your throat!
• Management won’t go for (accept) such a risky project now.
• The bomb went off (explode) right after the president left his office.
• He went off (leave) without a word.
• He went on (proceed) to win a gold medal.
• Please go out (leave) through the back door.
• Hang on (wait a moment). Let me check
• Hold up (wait) a minute. I want to check something.
• The dam can’t hold back (stop) that much water.
• I held down (continue) that job for years.
• How long can they hold out (survive) without water?
• We will have to hold over (save) these files until tomorrow.
• He tried to keep away from (avoid) danger.
• Let’s kick off (start) this project with a planning meeting.
• The rent has been kicked up (increase) again.
• I’m going to stay at home on Saturday and just kick back (relax).
• They knocked out (complete) the entire project in one night.
• I promised him I would meet him there, and I will not let him down (disappoint).
• He accidentally let out (disclose) the location for the meeting.
• The rain shows no sign of letting up (stop).
• I can’t find my keys, so I’ll look around (search).
• I looked at (consider) the possibility of buying a new car.
• Thieves made away with (steal) £30,000 of jewellery in last night’s heist.
• The new computers make for (contribute) much greater productivity.
• The men made off (escape) as the police arrived.
• Kids! Stop messing about (misbehave) and do your work!
• Don’t mess around (play) with electricity if you don’t understand it.
• After a long battle with cancer, the professor passed away (die) yesterday.
• The millennium passed off (happen) without any disasters.
• I’ll pass on (skip) dessert, thanks.
• We’ll pass out (distribute) copies of the agenda.
• I want to pass over (ignore) this quite quickly.
• He passed up (refuse) my invitation for dinner.
• Did you pick up (notice) his nervousness?
• I’m calling him, but he just isn’t picking up (answer)!
• Children who do not receive enough attention may begin to play up (misbehave).
• He pulls in (earn) a lot of money.
• We put down (pay) a $1,000 deposit.
• Put down (write) the first thing you think of on this piece of paper.
• I put in (contribute) an extra hour at work today.
• The storm put the game off (delay) by a week.
• The factory puts out (produce) 5000 units each day.
• Please hold the line a moment while I put you through (connect) to the sales office.
• That dog will get hurt if he continues to run after (chase) cars.
• The guys who robbed the bank last week have finally been run in (arrest).
• The option will run out (expire) next week and I can’t get it extended.
• Before we start the project, let’s just run over (describe briefly) who is doing what.
• Two youths set about (attack) him.
• How much do you suppose that fancy dress set her back (cost money)?
• Could you speak up (talk more loudly)? I can’t hear you.
• I can’t simply stand by (do nothing) and watch you ruin your life.
• We won’t stand for (tolerate) that type of behaviour.
• I’m going to take off (depart) now.
• I’ll take off (quantify) the concrete and steel for this construction project.
• Please take out (remove) the trash before the whole house starts to smell.
• The books on finance take up (occupy) three shelves.
• Let’s take up (resume) where we left off.
• The team threw away (waste) its chance at the semifinals.
• The baby threw up (vomit) all over my shirt.
• He turned down (refuse) all our offers of help.
• Hundreds of people turned out (attend) to see the parade.
• The bakery turns out (produce) three hundred pies each day.