Abstract Phrasal Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to be the reason for a specific incident or result

"His speech brings about significant social change."

"The new government's policies were intended to bring about significant economic improvements for the entire nation."

to focus on something or someone as the primary subject or point of interest

"The story revolves around a detective."

"The plot of the movie revolves around a young detective trying to solve a mysterious murder case."

to clearly and explicitly explain something

"Spell out the instructions clearly."

"The instructions clearly spell out exactly what you need to do to assemble the furniture correctly without any mistakes."

to be socially fit for or belong within a particular group or environment

"She fits in with the group perfectly."

"The new employee is trying hard to fit in with the existing team and make friends."

to be easily noticed, often due to being different from the surrounding elements

"His ears stick out noticeably."

"His bright red hair made him stick out in the crowd of people with darker hair colors."

to officially induct someone into a position or office, typically involving an oath

"They will swear in him."

"The chief justice will swear in the new president during the official inauguration ceremony next week."

to indicate that something is about to happen

"The new year ushered in changes."

"The invention of the internet ushered in a new era of global communication and information sharing."

to conclude by selling off or getting rid of remaining items or assets

"Close out the account today."

"The struggling bookstore decided to close out its inventory with a massive liquidation sale."

to keep treating someone unfairly or making unfair remarks about them

"Stop picking on your little brother."

"The older children at school tend to pick on the younger smaller kids because they think it is funny to bully them."

to make something ineffective

"The two effects cancel out each other."

"The positive effects of the new drug may cancel out the negative side effects of the other medication the patient is taking."

to agree with or correspond to something

"His actions accord with his words."

"His actions do not accord with his words because he often says one thing but then does the opposite."

to make a situation or relationship less tense by calming emotions, resolving conflicts, etc.

"He tried to smooth over the argument."

"The manager tried to smooth over the disagreement between the two employees by encouraging them to talk calmly and find a compromise."

(of a person) to slowly become thin and lose strength, particularly to the point of death

"The old man faded away."

"The beautiful colors of the sunset slowly faded away as darkness crept across the evening sky."

to define oneself as belonging to a particular category, group, or label

"They identify as non-binary now."

"The survey asked participants to identify as male female or non binary for demographic data collection purposes."

to become extremely upset, agitated, or overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, or excitement

"Do not freak out about the exam."

"The little boy started to freak out when he saw a large spider crawling on his arm."

to concentrate closely on a particular matter

"Zero in on the main problem quickly."

"The detective was able to zero in on the real suspect after carefully analyzing all of the evidence at the crime scene."

to gradually stop using, producing, or providing something

"The company is phasing out old models."

"The company plans to phase out its older product line over the next two years as customers switch to the newer models."

to succeed or come to a favorable outcome

"His plan did not pan out."

"Despite initial doubts, the risky investment strategy eventually panned out, yielding significant profits for the company."

to present, propose, or offer something for consideration or action

"He put forth a new proposal."

"The committee put forth a new proposal that they believe will solve the parking problem in the downtown area."

(of a situation or issue) to continue for a long period of time without resolution

"The argument rumbled on for hours."

"The heated political debate rumbled on for hours without either side willing to compromise or give in to the other."

to access or make use of a resource or source of information

"Tap into your inner strength now."

"The new marketing campaign aims to tap into the growing demand for organic and environmentally friendly products among young consumers."

to start a task, action, or process with determination and inspiration

"She set about cleaning her room."

"After breakfast she set about cleaning the messy house which had been neglected for several days."

to find something or someone unexpectedly

"I stumbled on an old photograph."

"The archaeologist stumbled on a hidden cave while exploring the remote hillside and discovered ancient paintings on the walls."

to defend or support someone or something

"Stand up for your rights always."

"You should always stand up for your rights and not let anyone take advantage of you."

to focus on a particular person or thing from a group in either a positive or negative manner

"The teacher singled out one student for praise."

"The teacher singled out one student for praise because of his exceptional performance on the difficult exam."

to completely impress someone

"The news bowled me over completely."

"The unexpected news about his promotion simply bowled him over and he could not believe it was actually true."

(of an outcome, decision, or situation) to depend entirely on a particular factor or set of circumstances

"The decision hinges on the test results."

"The outcome of the entire trial could hinge on the testimony of a single key witness."

to bring forth a memory or image, causing one to remember or think about something

"She summoned up her courage finally."

"He tried to summon up the courage to ask his boss for a raise but he was too nervous to speak."

to delay the occurrence of something undesirable or threatening

"He ate to stave off hunger."

"He ate a small snack to stave off his hunger until dinner time because he knew he would not be able to eat for several more hours."

to create something by combining together different parts or ingredients

"Make up a story."

"The chef will make up a new dish using fresh, seasonal ingredients."

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 forcefully end something, often a negative or undesirable situation

"We must stamp out hate."

"The government is determined to stamp out corruption and ensure accountability."

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 cause someone or something to be quiet

"Hush up the noise."

"The politician tried to hush up the scandal to avoid public scrutiny and damage to his career."

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 occupy a particular amount of space or time

"The book will take up space."

"This large sofa will take up too much space in our small living room, so we need a smaller one."

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."