Core Phrasal Verbs for High School Graduation Exam Preparation

A comprehensive list of English phrasal verbs categorized by their main verb (Come, Get, Go, Keep, Look, Make) and a section for predicted exam vocabulary.

come across

find by chance

come around

change one’s opinion

come by

manage to get

come down with

become ill with

come out

become known, be published

come up with

produce a plan or an idea

come up

appear, occur

come in for / come under fire

be criticized

get along with

have a good relationship with

get away

escape or go on holiday

get by

manage to live on a tight budget

get sb down

make sb depressed

get into

become interested/involved in something or arrive at a place

get off

leave a bus, train, or plane

get over

recover from

get rid of

eliminate or throw something away

go along with

accept, support an idea

go away

leave a place

go by

pass (time)

go down with

become ill with a disease

go for

try to achieve or attain

go off

explode; ring/make a loud noise; no longer good to eat or drink

go over

review, check carefully, or study

go through

experience, be officially accepted, or examine carefully

go up

increase

keep down

restrain or control

keep on

continue

keep out of

stay away from

keep around

keep something near one

keep at

continue with something difficult

keep away from

avoid

keep back

maintain a safe distance

keep off

not talk about

keep up with

move at the same rate

look after

to take care of

look ahead

to think about or plan the future

look back (on)

to think of or remember what has happened

look down on

to think that you are better than someone

look for

search for, investigate, or expect

look forward to

be excited about something that is going to happen

look into

investigate

look out

to be careful

look through

to read something, usually quickly

look up

search for information or improve

look up to

to respect or admire

make do with

use something less satisfactory as an alternative

make for

move in the direction of; head for

make fun of

laugh at; make jokes about

make of

have an opinion about something

make off with

steal and hurry away

make out

be able to hear, read, or see something; understand; manage well

make up

invent a story; put on cosmetics; form or institute

make up with

end a quarrel and become friends again

make up for

compensate for something

shrug off/aside

to ignore something or treat it as unimportant

blow over

disappear without having a serious effect

turn up

appear, arrive

deal with

handle or cope with someone or something

believe in

trust in the existence or value of someone or something

break up

to end a relationship

put on

wear something; organize/produce a show or event; turn something on

put up

propose; build or place; provide accommodation; increase price; lend money; perform

take up

continue or pursue a habit, hobby, or interest

team up (with somebody)

form a group or side with someone

fight somebody/something off

resist or fight against

ask for

request to speak to someone or ask for directions

catch up on

spend extra time doing something; discuss news

fill (something) up

make something full

go out with

date someone

bring up

raise a child; mention or introduce a topic

grow up

mature or reach adulthood

pass away / pass on

to die

put off

postpone; discourage or make someone dislike something

switch off

stop paying attention/thinking about something; turn something off

run into

meet by chance; reach a specific level/amount; crash into

speed up

accelerate or make happen faster

engage in

participate in something

drop off

fall asleep; decrease

set up

establish or organize something

take out

cause a feeling/pain to disappear; buy food to take away; remove

put out

extinguish a fire or cigarette; make something stop burning/shining

take off

remove clothing/accessories; depart/take flight; become successful

drift off (to sleep)

fall asleep

blow somebody away

impress someone very much or make them very happy

look on

watch something without participating

take in

absorb; understand; remember; deceive someone; provide shelter

drop out (of school/college)

quit school or stop participating in something

build up

create or develop something

check out

pay the bill and leave a hotel

check in

arrive and register at a hotel or airport

break in

enter a building by force; interrupt or intervene

break out

start suddenly (usually war or fighting)

note down

write down / record information

set off

depart; explode a bomb/fireworks; trigger an alarm; start a process

try out

test someone or something to see how good they are

bring about

cause something to happen

find out

discover information about something or someone

cut down on

reduce the amount of something; chop down a tree

take over

take control from someone else; assume responsibility

walk away (from)

leave a difficult situation or relationship