50 interesting phrasal verbs for daily English conversation

50 phrasal verbs for daily English conversation
50 phrasal verbs for daily English conversation

 

Phrasal verbs are very important in daily English conversation. 

They can help you communicate more effectively and accurately. Here are 50 interesting phrasal verbs that you can use in your daily life.

 

  • Look After

to take care of someone or something and make certain that they have everything they need

He looked after my pets when I was away. 

 

  • Get On With

 to give your time to something and make progress with it

We can get with the celebration once we finish the work. 

 

  • Put Up With

 to accept someone or something unpleasant in a patient way

Nobody can put up with bad behavior for a long time. 

 

  • Come Up With

 to think of something such as an idea or a plan

My friends really come up with the best traveling plans. 

 

  • Keep In With

to stay friendly with someone, especially someone who can help you

You should keep in with her friend. They are really helpful. 

 

  • Pay For

To give money in order to buy something

Let me pay for the dinner. 

 

  • Take Over 

to begin to do something that someone else was doing

Can you take over the cooking while I walk the dog?

 

  • Get Away From

 to stop having a particular idea or belief that is oldfashioned or not helpful

We want to get away from this idea that women are meant for cooking. 

 

  • Get Back To

 to phone, write, or speak to someone at a later time because you were busy or could not answer their question earlier.

I will get back to you once I finish my work. 

 

  • Put Off 

to delay doing something, especially because you do not want to do it

I was trying to put off the moment when I would have to leave.

 

  • Give Up On

 to stop hoping that someone will improve and stop trying to help or change them

Most of the teachers gave up on her years ago.

 

  • Turn Down.

to not accept an offer or request

How could you turn down such a fantastic job?

 

  • Back Out 

to decide not to do something you agreed to do

I promised to help and I’m not backing out now.

 

  • Come across 

to meet someone, or to find something by chance

I came across a word I’d never seen before.

 

  • Dab off

to remove something from a surface by gently touching it several times with something such as a piece of cloth.

He put his handkerchief to his face and dabbed off a tear.

 

  • Ease off 

if something unpleasant or annoying eases off, it becomes less unpleasant or annoying

If the rain eases off overnight, we’ll leave in the morning.

 

  • Face down 

with the front or face towards the ground

He was lying face down in the water.

 

  • Dabble in 

to be involved in an activity for a short time in a way that is not very serious

When he was younger he dabbled in astrology.

 

  1. Comes down to 

to be the most important aspect of a situation or problem

In the end, it all comes down to who wants the job the most.

 

  • Triffle with. 

 to deal with something in a way that shows you do not have a serious attitude towards it

Stop trifling with her feelings! 

 

  • Call for 

to say publicly that something must happen.

Several of the newspapers were calling for his resignation.

 

  • Boils down to 

to be the main reason for something or the most basic part of something

It’s difficult to choose which appliance to buy, but in the end it usually boils down to cost.

 

  • Single out 

to choose one person from a group for special attention

Katie was often singled out for punishment.

 

  1. Send off 

to post something to someone

I must get the parcel sent off tomorrow.

 

  • Narrow down 

to reduce the number of possibilities or choices

We’re working to narrow down the list of possible suspects.

 

  • Speak of 

 to seem to prove that something exists or is true

Her extensive library spoke of her love of reading.

 

  • Bump into 

to meet someone unexpectedly

I bumped into your mother at the supermarket.

 

  • Blow up at 

to suddenly become angry and shout at someone

She just blew up at me.

 

  • Cut back 

to reduce the amount of something, especially money that you spend

It’s time we cut back a little.

 

  • Fall out 

to stop being friendly with someone because you have had a disagreement with them

Have you two fallen out?

 

  • Get around 

to go or travel to different places

At the age of 85 Milly still gets around quite well.

 

  • Hang in 

Stay positive 

Hang in there! I’m sure you will find a job soon.

 

  • Take after 

 to look or behave like an older relative

In looks she takes after her father.

 

  •  Reflect on 

to give people a particular opinion of someone or something

We hope her success will reflect well on the school.

 

  • Juice up 

to improve something by making it more interesting, attractive, or powerful

Certain scenes were juiced up for commercial purposes.

 

  •  Wear off 

if something such as a pain, an emotion, or a feeling wears off, it gradually disappears

The numbness in his shoulder was starting to wear off.

 

  • Whip up 

to encourage strong emotions or behavior in people

Newspaper articles have whipped up fears of the new tax policies.

 

  • Ease off 

if something unpleasant or annoying eases off, it becomes less unpleasant or annoying

If the rain eases off overnight, we’ll leave in the morning.

 

  • End in 

to have something as a final result

His attempt to persuade the boy ended in failure.

 

  • Map out 

to plan in detail how something will happen

Her own future had been mapped out for her by her parents.

 

  • Toss around 

to discuss something such as an idea, often in an informal way

We tossed some thoughts around for a while.

 

  • Keep off 

to not touch something, or to prevent something from touching something

Keep the flies off the food.

 

  • Knock off 

to reduce a price or an amount

Kelly knocked two seconds off her previous time.

 

  • Hand down 

to give knowledge or skill to someone who is younger than you and will live after you have died

These skills have been handed down from generation to generation.

 

  • Keep away 

to avoid someone or something, or to make someone else do this

I’ve told him to keep away, but he won’t listen.

 

  • Own up 

to admit that you have done something bad or embarrassing

Dan could have made this whole thing go away simply by owning up.

 

  • Major in 

to have or do a lot of something; to focus on a particular thing.

When someone asked me how my day went, I majored in the things that went wrong rather than the good things.

 

  • Make off 

to leave quickly, especially after doing something wrong

The kids made off when they heard us coming.

 

  • Read into 

to find an extra meaning in someone’s words or actions that is not obvious or does not exist

I think you’re reading too much into a casual remark. 

 

  • Ringback 

to phone someone again.

I’ll ring back later.

 

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