Phrasal verbs with up
125 phrasal verbs · 207 meanings · A2 to C2
What does "up" add to phrasal verbs?
When you think about up, your first instinct is probably direction—moving higher in space. That's exactly where many of these phrasal verbs start. Stand up, sit up, and get up all involve moving your body to a higher position. Go up means moving to a higher place, while pick up often means taking something from a lower position.
But up does much more than show physical direction. It creates the idea of increase and improvement. When prices go up, they become higher in value. When business picks up, it improves. You can build up your strength, speed up a process, or turn up the volume. This pattern of increase appears everywhere—step up security, ramp up production, or heat up the competition.
Up also suggests completion and finishing. When you use up all your money, it's completely gone. Eat up your dinner means finish it all. You wrap up a meeting when you bring it to an end, and you add up numbers to get a final total. This sense of reaching a conclusion helps explain why we sum up the main points or clear up a misunderstanding.
Sometimes up means appearing or arriving. Problems come up unexpectedly, new businesses spring up quickly, and people turn up at parties. Once you recognise these core patterns—upward movement, increase, completion, and appearance—you'll find many phrasal verbs with up become much easier to understand and remember.
All phrasal verbs with "up"
act up behave badly or not work properly (a machine, child, or body part) B2 beat sb up hit someone many times and hurt them badly B1 bottle sth up keep your feelings inside instead of showing them B2 brush up on sth practise something again to improve a skill you have not used recently B2 build (sth) up slowly increase or grow stronger over time B1 buy sth up buy all or most of something that is available C1 chalk sth up to sth explain something as being caused by a particular reason C2 chat sb up talk to someone in a flirty way to show you like them romantically B2 check up on sb/sth make sure someone is doing what they should, or that something is correct B2 cheer (sb) up become happier, or make someone feel happier B1 clam up suddenly stop talking or refuse to speak, often from shyness or to keep a secret C1 clog sth up block something so nothing can pass through B2 conjure sth up make an image, idea, or memory appear in your mind C1 cover sb up hide someone's mistake or wrong action from others C1 crop up appear or happen suddenly when not expected B2 cut sth up cut something into small pieces B1 draw sth up prepare a document, plan, or list in detail B2 dream sth up invent something creative or unusual in your mind C1 dredge sth up bring up something unpleasant from the past that people would rather forget C2 drum sth up try hard to get support, interest, or business C1 dry (sth) up become completely dry, or stop existing because there is no more left B2 face up to sth accept and deal with something difficult or unpleasant B2 fill sth up make something completely full, or become completely full A2 flare up (a problem, illness, or conflict) suddenly start again or get worse C1 follow sth up take more action on something after a first step B2 gear up get ready for an important event or activity C1 get up to sth do something, especially something bad or surprising B2 give sth up stop doing or having something B1 go up become higher in price or amount B1 grow up become an adult A2 hang up end a phone call by putting the phone down B1 heat up become more intense or exciting (a situation, competition) B2 let up become less strong or stop (rain, pressure, an activity) B2 line sb/sth up arrange people or things in a line B1 live up to sth be as good as what people expected or hoped B2 measure up be good enough to meet a standard or expectations C1 move up move to a higher position, level, or rank B1 open (sth) up make something available or possible that was limited before B1 own up to sth admit that you did something wrong B2 pass sth up not take a chance or opportunity that is offered B2 pile up become more and more in amount or number over time B2 pop up appear suddenly or without warning B2 prop sth up support something that would fail or collapse without help C1 pull up stop a car or other vehicle B1 ramp sth up increase something a lot in amount, speed, or level C1 ratchet sth up increase something slowly but steadily (pressure, tension, prices) C1 read up on sth read about a subject carefully to learn more about it B2 ring sb up call someone on the phone B1 round sb up gather people or animals together in one place B2 run sth up build up a large bill or debt quickly B2 save (sth) up keep money over time so you can buy something later B1 scale sth up make something bigger or produce more of it C1 seize up suddenly stop working or moving (a machine or part of the body) C1 shore sth up strengthen or support something that is weak or might fail C1 show up arrive at a place or event B1 shut sb/sth up make someone or something stop talking or making noise A2 sign up join or register for a class, activity, or service B1 size sb/sth up look carefully at someone or something to judge them C1 slip up make a small careless mistake B2 spring up appear or grow quickly and suddenly C1 stay up not go to bed at your usual time B1 stick up point upwards above a surface B2 stir sth up deliberately cause trouble, arguments, or strong feelings B2 stock up buy a large amount of something to keep and use later C1 sum sb/sth up describe something or someone in a few words B1 team up join with someone to work together on something B2 tear sth up rip something into small pieces, especially paper B2 tee sth up get something ready so it can start or be shown C1 think sth up invent an idea, plan, or excuse B2 throw up vomit or bring food back up from your stomach B1 tighten sth up make rules or security stricter and more careful C1 top sth up add more to something that is partly empty B1 toughen sb up make someone stronger and better able to handle difficulty or criticism C1 use sth up finish all of something so there is none left B1 weigh sth up carefully think about the good and bad points before deciding B2 well up rise up suddenly inside you (tears or strong feelings) C1 write sth up produce a finished piece of writing from notes or rough work B2
add up
back up
blow up
break up
bring up
burn up
catch up
clean up
clear up
come up
- 1 come up happen or appear, often without warning (a problem or chance) B1
- 2 come up with sth think of an idea, plan, or solution B1
- 3 come up be happening soon B1
- 4 come up be mentioned or talked about in a conversation B1
- 5 come up against sb/sth have to deal with a problem, difficulty, or opponent B2
dig up
do up
dress up
eat up
end up
fix up
hold up
hook up
keep up
light up
lock up
look up
make up
mix up
pack up
pick up
- 1 pick sb/sth up collect someone or something from a place A2
- 2 pick up answer the phone when it rings B1
- 3 pick sth up learn something by doing it or being around it, not by studying B1
- 4 pick up improve or get better after a bad period (business, weather, health) B2
- 5 pick up on sth notice something, especially something small or not obvious B2
play up
put up
- 1 put sth up fix something to a wall or board so people can see it B1
- 2 put sth up build or attach something so it stands up (a sign, a shelf, a tent) B1
- 3 put up with sth accept something unpleasant without complaining B1
- 4 put sth up raise the price or cost of something B2
- 5 put sb up let someone stay in your home for a short time B2
set up
shake up
snap up
soak up
speak up
split up
stand up
- 1 stand up publicly defend or support a belief or opinion B2
- 2 stand up for sb/sth defend or support someone or something when others criticise or attack them B2
- 3 stand sb up fail to meet someone you arranged to meet, especially on a date B2
- 4 stand up to sb/sth defend yourself against someone more powerful or against unfair treatment B2
start up
step up
take up
tie up
turn up
wake up
warm up
wash up
wind up
work up
wrap up
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