Phrasal verbs are combinations of verbs with prepositions or adverbs that create new meanings different from the original verb. The table below lists common phrasal verbs along with their meanings and example sentences to help you understand their usage.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| slow down | Reduce speed; become less active; make someone/something slower | Construction slowed the traffic down, so we had to slow down too. |
| snap off | Break off suddenly and cleanly | A brittle twig snapped off in my hand. |
| snap on | Fasten/attach with a snap; quickly switch on | She snapped on the safety cover before using the tool. |
| snap out of | Stop being in a negative mood or unhelpful mental state | He finally snapped out of his funk and got back to work. |
| snap up | Acquire quickly, especially because scarce or cheap | The early-bird tickets were snapped up within minutes. |
| speak of | Mention; indicate or suggest something by implication | The tidy workshop speaks of her professionalism. |
| speak out | Express an opinion publicly and boldly, especially against something | Residents spoke out against the proposed closure. |
| speak to | Talk to; address/relate to a topic or concern | This report speaks to the need for better training. |
| speak up | Speak more loudly; express an opinion more openly | Please speak up so everyone can hear you. |
| stamp out | Extinguish; eradicate something harmful | The program aims to stamp out illegal dumping. |
| stand against | Oppose or resist | Several lawmakers vowed to stand against the bill. |
| stand around | Loiter; spend time doing nothing while standing | We stood around outside waiting for the doors to open. |
| stand aside | Move out of the way; step back to let another take over | The chair stood aside to allow a fresh leader to emerge. |
| stand by | Support someone; remain ready/available; (neg.) do nothing | We will stand by our partners during the transition. |
| stand down | Resign or withdraw; go off alert | The general ordered the troops to stand down. |
| stand for | Represent/mean; tolerate | UN stands for United Nations; I won’t stand for bullying. |
| stand in | Substitute; take someone’s place temporarily | Could you stand in for me at the meeting? |
| stand out | Be conspicuous or exceptional | Her clarity of writing makes her stand out from the crowd. |
| stand out against | Oppose something clearly and publicly | They stood out against the discriminatory policy. |
| stand up | Rise to one’s feet; remain sound/withstand scrutiny | Everyone stood up when the judge entered. |
| stand up for | Defend or support | You should stand up for your teammates. |
| stand up to | Confront or resist; withstand | The new coating stands up to extreme heat. |
| start off | Begin (an activity, journey, or process) | Let’s start off with a quick recap. |
| start on | Begin working on or dealing with | I’ll start on the budget after lunch. |
| start on at | Begin criticizing or scolding (BrE, informal) | She started on at me for missing the deadline. |
| start out | Begin a journey, career, or life stage | He started out as a lab assistant. |
| start over | Begin again from the beginning | If this fails, we’ll start over with a new approach. |
| start up | Begin operating (machine, process, or business) | They started up a nonprofit to mentor students. |
