Comprehensive List of Phrasal Verbs with Meanings and Examples

Abide by

Accept or follow a decision or rule.

Account for

To explain.

Ache for

Want something or someone a lot.

Act on

To take action because of something like information received.

Act on

Affect.

Act out

Perform something with actions and gestures.

Act out

Express an emotion in your behaviour.

Act up

Behave badly or strangely.

Act upon

To take action because of something like information received.

Act upon

Affect.

Add on

Include in a calculation.

Add up

To make a mathematical total.

Add up

Be a satisfactory explanation for something.

Add up to

Have a certain result.

Add up to

Come to a certain amount or figure.

Agree with

I feel terrible- that food didn't AGREE WITH my stomach.

Aim at

To target.

Aim at

Intend to achieve.

Allow for

Include something in a plan or calculation.

Allow of

Make possible, permit.

Angle for

Try to get something indirectly, by hinting or suggesting.

Answer

To reply rudely to someone in authority.

Answer for

Be held responsible for a problem.

Answer for

Speak on behalf of someone or from knowing them.

Argue down

Beat someone in a debate, discussion or argument.

Argue down

Persuade someone to drop the price of something they're selling.

Argue down

Try to persuade people not to accept a proposition, motion, etc.

Argue out

Argue about a problem to find a solution.

Ask about

Ask how someone is doing, especially professionally and in terms of health.

Ask after

Enquire about someone's health, how life is going.

Ask around

Ask a number of people for information of help.

Ask around

Invite someone.

Ask for

To provoke a negative reaction.

Ask for

Request to have or be given.

Ask in

To invite somebody into your house.

Ask out

To invite someone for a date.

Ask over

Invite.

Ask round

Invite someone.

Auction off

Sell something in an auction.

Back away

Retreat or go backwards.

Back down

Retract or withdraw your position or proposal in an argument.

Back into

Enter a parking area in reverse gear.

Back off

Retreat.

Back out

Fail to keep an arrangement or promise.

Back out of

Fail to keep an agreement, arrangement.

Back out of

Exit a parking area in reverse gear.

Back up

Make a copy of computer data.

Back up

Support.

Back up

Drive a vehicle backwards.

Bag out

Criticise.

Bail out

Save, rescue.

Bail out

Remove water from something that is flooded.

Bail out

Jump out of a plane because it is going to crash.

Bail out of

Pay a bond to release someone from jail.

Bail out on

Stop supporting someone when they are in trouble.

Bail up

Talk to someone and delay them.

Bail up

Rob someone at gunpoint.

Ball up

Confuse or make things complicated.

Ball up

Roll or form into a round shape.

Balls up

Spoil, ruin.

Bang about

Move in a place making a lot of noise.

Bang around

Move in a place making a lot of noise.

Bang on

Talk at great length.

Bang on about

Keep talking about something.

Bang out

Play a musical instrument loudly.

Bang up

Put someone in prison.

Bang up

Damage badly.

Bank on

Count or rely on.

Bargain down

Persuade someone to drop the price of something they're selling.

Bargain for

Expect something to happen (usually negative).

Bargain on

Expect something to happen (usually negative).

Barge in

Enter a place and interrupt.

Barge into

Enter a place and interrupt people rudely.

Bash about

Mistreat physically.

Bash in

Break, damage or injure by hitting.

Bash out

Write something quickly without much preparation.

Bash up

Break, damage or hurt by hitting.

Bawl out

Scold, shout at someone.

Bawl out

Scold.

Bawl out

Sing or shout unpleasantly loudly.

Be after

Try to find or get.

Be along

Arrive.

Be away

Be elsewhere; on holiday, etc.

Be cut out for

Be suitable, have the necessary qualities.

Be cut up

Be upset.

Be cut out for

Not suited for a particular job or activity.

Be down

Be depressed.

Be down

Be reduced or less.

Be down on

Have negative feelings toward someone.

Be down with

Be ill.

Be fed up

Be bored, upset or sick of something.

Be in

Be at home or at work.

Be in

Be submitted, arrive.

Be in on

Be involved in.

Be not on

Be unacceptable.

Be off

Be bad (of food).

Be off

Depart, leave.

Be on

Be functioning (of machines).

Be on

Take place.

Be on

Take medication or drugs, especially when they affect the person badly.