Phrasal verbs are the secret sauce that makes English sound natural—native speakers drop them into almost every sentence, from casual chats to work emails. This list gathers around 280 of the most common phrasal verbs you’ll actually hear and need, not the dusty ones from a textbook appendix. Whether you’re a beginner hungry for real-world expressions or an intermediate learner trying to stop translating word by word, this collection helps you understand and use these two‑part wonders with confidence.
Every entry in the interactive table comes with a plain‑English meaning, a realistic example sentence, and easy‑to‑read US IPA so you pronounce each phrasal verb clearly. Tap the play button next to any word to hear it spoken aloud—your ears need practice just as much as your eyes.
Ready to level up your English with a friendly pile of useful verb combos? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable most common phrasal verbs in English vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable most common phrasal verbs in English flashcards.
Words are great, but real English happens in chunks. Our free chunk‑based lessons turn vocabulary into speakable phrases—start with the lessons intro or jump right into Lesson 1—First Greetings to get your mouth moving.
Quick Quiz
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Meaning | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| butt in | Interrupt a conversation rudely. | Please don't butt in while others are speaking. | |
| call back | Return a phone call. | I'll call back as soon as I get the information. | |
| call for | require or pick up someone | This recipe calls for three eggs. | |
| call off | To cancel an event or plan. | The match was called off due to heavy rain. | |
| call out | shout or criticize publicly | She called out his name across the street. | |
| call up | to telephone someone | I'll call up the doctor and make an appointment. | |
| calm down | to become less upset or angry | Calm down and tell me what happened. | |
| carry on | To continue doing something. | Please carry on with your work while I'm away. | |
| carry out | to perform or complete a task | The team carried out the experiment successfully. | |
| catch on | become popular or understand | The new fashion trend is starting to catch on. | |
| catch up | reach the same level as others | I need to catch up on my homework. | |
| cave in | Collapse or finally agree under pressure. | After hours of negotiation, the company finally caved in. | |
| check in | to register at a hotel or airport | We need to check in two hours before the flight. | |
| check out | to examine, leave a hotel, or borrow from library | I need to check out this book from the library. | |
| cheer up | Become happier or make someone happier. | I brought you some flowers to cheer you up. | |
| chip in | Contribute money or help. | Everyone chipped in to buy a gift for the boss. | |
| clam up | Become silent suddenly. | Whenever we ask about the accident, he clams up. | |
| clean out | Remove everything from a place or steal all money. | We need to clean out the garage this weekend. | |
| clean up | To tidy or make something clean. | Let's clean up the kitchen after dinner. | |
| clear up | To become sunny or solve a misunderstanding. | Let's clear up any confusion before the meeting. | |
| close down | stop operating permanently | The local bakery closed down last month. | |
| come across | find by chance or seem | I came across an interesting article online. | |
| come along | accompany or make progress | How's your project coming along? | |
| come back | to return to a place | I'll come back home before midnight. | |
| come by | obtain or visit | Good jobs are hard to come by in this town. |
Free Most Common Phrasal Verbs in English PDF and Flashcards
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