A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition or adverb that takes on a different meaning than the individual words. Phrasal verbs can be separable or inseparable. Phrasal verbs, consisting of a verb paired with a preposition or adverb, can often be replaced with a single word while retaining the intended meaning.
However, phrasal verbs, like other verbs, can have multiple definitions and contexts of use. While the provided one-word substitutions work for the examples given, they may not cover every possible usage of the phrasal verb. The flexibility of phrasal verbs means that the suggested replacements should be used judiciously, considering the specific context and intended meaning.
The following list presents 47 commonly used phrasal verbs found in academic texts, along with one-word substitutions for each.
Separable
In separable phrasal verbs, the verb and particle (preposition or adverb) can be separated by an object noun or pronoun.
| Phrasal Verb | Example Uses | Definitions and Replacements |
| Add up | The bills added up to $500. | Calculate, total, sum |
| Buy out | They bought out the company. | Purchase entirely, acquire |
| Buy up | Investors bought up all the stock. | Purchase entirety of supply, acquire fully |
| Call off | The game was called off due to rain. | Cancel, abandon |
| Carry on | We carried on working despite the noise. | Continue, proceed |
| Carry out | They carried out the experiment. | Conduct, perform, execute |
| Cut out | You need to cut out caffeine. | Eliminate, remove, stop |
| Find out | I need to find out her name. | Discover, learn, ascertain |
| Get (it) over with | Let’s just get it over with. | Finish something unpleasant, complete |
| Get across | I couldn’t get my point across. | Convey, communicate, make understood |
| Give up | Don’t give up so easily! | Quit, abandon, renounce |
| Hold up | The robbery held up the bank. | Rob, delay, impede |
| Leave out | Don’t leave out any details. | Omit, exclude, neglect to include |
| Make up | She made up an excuse. | Invent, fabricate, concoct |
| Make out | I can’t make out what they’re saying. | Discern, decipher, distinguish |
| Pass up | Don’t pass up this opportunity. | Decline, refuse, let go |
| Pass on | Please pass on the message. | Convey, transfer, relay |
| Pass out | Flyers were passed out. | Distribute, circulate, hand out |
| Pick up | I need to pick up groceries. | Obtain, acquire, collect |
| Point out | Let me point out the issues. | Identify, indicate, make notice of |
| Set up | We need to set up the equipment. | Arrange, organize, prepare |
| Turn down | He turned down the job offer. | Reject, decline, refuse |
| Use up | We used up all the supplies. | Exhaust, deplete, consume entirely |
Inseparable
In inseparable phrasal verbs, the verb and particle cannot be separated. The object noun or pronoun must come after the entire phrasal verb.
| Phrasal Verb | Example Uses | Definitions and Replacements |
| Back out of | She backed out of the deal. | Withdraw, retreat, abandon |
| Bear on | This information bears on the case. | Relate to, be relevant to, pertain to |
| Catch up with | I need to catch up with my friend. | Rejoin, reunite with |
| Call on | The teacher called on the student. | Request, summon, ask for |
| Call for | The recipe calls for eggs. | Require, demand, need |
| Count on | You can count on me. | Rely on, depend on, trust |
| Cut down on | I need to cut down on sweets. | Reduce, decrease |
| Come up with | She came up with a great idea. | Devise, originate, produce |
| Fall apart | My plan fell apart. | Disintegrate, collapse, fail |
| Get away | Let’s get away for the weekend. | Depart, leave, escape |
| Get along with | I get along well with my colleagues. | Have a good relationship with |
| Give in | Don’t give in to peer pressure. | Yield, surrender, submit |
| Go on | What’s going on? | Happen, occur, take place |
| Hold on to | Hold on to your hat! | Keep, retain, grasp |
| Hold out | We can’t hold out much longer. | Persevere, endure, last |
| Hold out on | Don’t hold out on me! | Withhold from, keep back |
| Look into | We’ll look into the problem. | Investigate, explore, research |
| Look out for | Look out for falling rocks! | Watch for, beware of, guard against |
| Make sure of | Make sure of the facts first. | Verify, confirm, ensure |
| Pick up on | I picked up on her hints. | Detect, sense, notice |
| Put up with | I won’t put up with that behavior. | Tolerate, endure, accept |
| See to | Please see to the guests. | Attend to, deal with, take care of |
| Take after | He takes after his father. | Resemble, be like |
| Touch on | Let me briefly touch on that topic. | Deal with, discuss briefly |