Abstract and Mental Phrasal Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to understand something, often with effort

"She makes out the distant ship."

"I could barely make out the words on the old sign because the paint had faded significantly over the years."

to form the whole or a part of something

"They make up."

"The diverse group of volunteers will make up the committee responsible for organizing the community festival."

to provide explanations or reasons for a particular situation or set of circumstances

"Account for the cost."

"The manager asked the team to account for the significant budget overrun."

to bring about a specific result

"Mistakes add up to failure."

"Your purchases add up to fifty dollars which is just over the amount needed for free shipping."

to use information, knowledge, or past experience to aid in performing a task or achieving a goal

"Draw on your experience."

"The artist likes to draw on her personal experiences of travel and nature for inspiration when creating new paintings."

to record or note something for future reference or action

"Mark down the important date."

"The store decided to mark down all winter coats by fifty percent to clear out their remaining inventory before spring arrives."

to make a new interest or hobby a regular part of one's life

"I will take up tennis."

"She decided to take up painting as a way to relax after work."

to make something available or usable for a different purpose

"We can build up the park."

"The company plans to build up its existing infrastructure to support new technological advancements."

to suppress flames by forcefully stepping on them or using a stamping motion

"Stamp out the small fire."

"The government has launched a new initiative to stamp out corruption in all public offices and government departments."

to accumulate or obtain something notable, such as victories, accomplishments, or records

"He racked up huge debts gambling."

"The careless driver managed to rack up several speeding tickets within a single month and could lose his license."

to emerge as a particular outcome

"The cake turned out perfectly."

"The party turned out to be much more fun than I had expected it would be."

to be prominent and easily noticeable

"Her red hair stands out."

"Her bright red hair made her stand out in the crowd of people at the concert."

to conceal a wrongdoing, fault, or error to prevent others from finding out

"They hushed up the scandal completely."

"The company tried to hush up the scandal by paying the victims a large amount of money to remain silent."

to acquire a new skill or language through practice and application rather than formal instruction

"She will pick up Spanish."

"He was able to pick up conversational French during his extended stay abroad."

to become famous and successful in a sudden and rapid manner

"He will take off."

"The young singer's debut album was so successful that she began to take off immediately."

to consider a particular factor when planning or making arrangements

"Allow for extra time on the trip."

"The budget should allow for unexpected expenses that may arise during the construction of the new building."

to eliminate an option or idea from consideration due to it appearing impossible to realize

"Doctors rule out the rare disease."

"The doctor cannot rule out the possibility of a serious infection without running more tests on the patient."

to explain or resolve confusion, making something easier to understand or less ambiguous

"Let me clear it up."

"The detective's detailed explanation helped to clear up the confusing sequence of events that led to the crime."

to contact someone to get assistance or help

"Reach out for help when needed."

"If you ever need any help with your homework please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email or phone."

to bring forth something, often from the realm of imagination, as if by enchantment

"The magician conjured up a rabbit."

"The talented chef could conjure up a delicious and complex meal from just a few simple ingredients."