Top 100 Phrasal Verbs with Example Sentences

Phrasal Verbs are a very important part of English Grammar for competitive exams. Questions based on phrasal verbs are commonly asked in fill in the blanks, error detection, sentence improvement, and vocabulary sections.

A phrasal verb is formed by a verb + preposition or adverb, and its meaning is often different from the main verb.

This article covers Top 100 Frequently Asked Phrasal Verbs with clear meanings and simple example sentences, specially prepared for Indian competitive exams.

Top 100 Phrasal Verbs [Frequently Asked]

1–20 (Very High Frequency)

Break down – stop working
Example:- The bus broke down on the way.

Bring up – mention
Example:- He brought up an important point.

Carry on – continue
Example:- Please carry on your work.

Come across – find by chance
Example:- I came across an old book.

Call off – cancel
Example:- The meeting was called off.

Get over – recover
Example:- She got over her illness.

Give up – stop trying
Example:- Never give up hope.

Look after – take care of
Example:- She looks after her parents.

Look for – search
Example:- I am looking for my keys.

Put off – postpone
Example:- The exam was put off.

Run out of – have no more
Example:- We ran out of time.

Set up – establish
Example:- He set up a new school.

Take off – remove / leave ground
Example:- The plane took off on time.

Turn down – reject
Example:- He turned down the offer.

Turn up – arrive
Example:- She turned up late.

Go on – continue
Example:- The show must go on.

Find out – discover
Example:- Find out the truth.

Look into – investigate
Example:- Police looked into the matter.

Put on – wear
Example:- She put on a jacket.

Get along – have good relations
Example:- They get along well.

21–50 (Frequently Asked)

Come up with – suggest
Example:- She came up with a plan.

Cut down – reduce
Example:- Cut down expenses.

Fall apart – break into pieces
Example:- The chair fell apart.

Fill in – complete
Example:- Fill in the form.

Get in – enter
Example:- He got in the car.

Give away – donate
Example:- He gave away old clothes.

Hold on – wait
Example:- Hold on for a minute.

Keep on – continue
Example:- Keep on studying.

Look out – be careful
Example:- Look out! A car is coming.

Make up – invent
Example:- He made up a story.

Pass away – die
Example:- The old man passed away.

Put out – extinguish
Example:- Put out the fire.

Run into – meet unexpectedly
Example:- I ran into my teacher.

Set off – start journey
Example:- They set off early.

Take up – begin
Example:- He took up teaching.

Turn off – switch off
Example:- Turn off the fan.

Work out – solve
Example:- Work out the problem.

Back out – withdraw
Example:- He backed out of the deal.

Bring about – cause
Example:- The reform brought about change.

Call on – visit
Example:- I called on my friend.

Check out – examine
Example:- Check out the details.

Drop out – leave
Example:- He dropped out of college.

Get through – succeed
Example:- She got through the exam.

Go through – examine
Example:- Go through the file.

Hold back – stop
Example:- Fear held him back.

Keep up – maintain
Example:- Keep up the good work.

Look down upon – hate
Example:- Do not look down upon others.

Make out – understand
Example:- I cannot make out this word.

Put up with – tolerate
Example:- I cannot put up with noise.

Show up – appear
Example:- He did not show up.

51–80 (Moderate Frequency)

Bring in – introduce
Example:- New rules were brought in.

Carry out – perform
Example:- Carry out the orders.

Come out – publish
Example:- The result came out.

Get by – manage
Example:- He gets by on low income.

Give in – surrender
Example:- He gave in to pressure.

Go off – explode
Example:- The bomb went off.

Hold up – delay
Example:- Traffic held us up.

Look ahead – think future
Example:- Look ahead and plan.

Make up for – compensate
Example:- Hard work makes up for loss.

Pass out – faint
Example:- He passed out due to heat.

Pick up – collect
Example:- Pick up the phone.

Put aside – save
Example:- Put aside some money.

Run after – chase
Example:- Do not run after money.

Set aside – reserve
Example:- Set aside time for study.

Take down – write
Example:- Take down notes.

Turn against – oppose
Example:- Friends turned against him.

Break into – enter forcefully
Example:- Thieves broke into the house.

Bring forward – propose
Example:- He brought forward a suggestion.

Call back – return call
Example:- I will call back later.

Come over – visit
Example:- Come over to my house.

Get away – escape
Example:- The thief got away.

Give off – emit
Example:- Flowers give off smell.

Hold out – resist
Example:- He held out hope.

Look back – recall
Example:- Look back at mistakes.

Make off – escape
Example:- The thief made off.

Put forward – suggest
Example:- He put forward an idea.

Run down – criticise
Example:- Do not run down others.

Set in – begin
Example:- Winter has set in.

Take after – resemble
Example:- He takes after his father.

Turn over – flip
Example:- Turn over the page.

81–100 (Exam Value)

Break out – start suddenly
Example:- Fire broke out.

Bring back – return
Example:- Bring back the book.

Call up – phone
Example:- I will call you up.

Come down – decrease
Example:- Prices came down.

Cut off – disconnect
Example:- The call was cut off.

Fall out – quarrel
Example:- Friends fell out.

Get ahead – succeed
Example:- Work hard to get ahead.

Give back – return
Example:- Give back my pen.

Hold fast – remain firm
Example:- Hold fast to values.

Keep away – avoid
Example:- Keep away from danger.

Look up – search meaning
Example:- Look up the word.

Make up with – reconcile
Example:- He made up with his friend.

Put back – return
Example:- Put back the book.

Run over – hit
Example:- The car ran over a dog.

Set out – begin
Example:- He set out early.

Take in – understand
Example:- I could not take it in.

Turn back – return
Example:- Turn back before dark.

Break off – stop suddenly
Example:- He broke off speaking.

Bring down – reduce
Example:- Taxes were brought down.

Call for – require
Example:- The situation calls for action.

Phrasal Verbs Quiz : 20 MCQs