phrasal-verb

step beyond limits

Meaning

to go past what you thought was possible

Example

To grow, you need to **step beyond limits** and challenge yourself.

phrasal-verb

speak up in

Meaning

to express one’s thoughts or opinions clearly during a conversation or meeting

Example

She always **speaks up in** international conferences to share her ideas.

phrasal-verb

move up professionally

Meaning

to advance to a higher position or level in one’s career

Example

He worked hard to **move up professionally** within the company.

phrasal-verb

back off emotionally

Meaning

to stop being overly aggressive or involved in an argument

Example

He decided to **back off emotionally** to avoid further conflict.

phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning

to publicly express an opinion about something important

Example

The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.

phrasal-verb

express thanks to

Meaning

to say thank you to someone

Example

He **expressed his thanks to** the organizers of the conference.

phrasal-verb

clean up after

Meaning

to remove waste or mess left behind by people or animals

Example

Volunteers came to **clean up after** the beach festival.

phrasal-verb

double source

Meaning

to confirm information with at least two independent sources

Example

Reporters **double source** sensitive claims before airing them.

phrasal-verb

link up

Meaning

to connect or join with another group or organization

Example

We plan to **link up** with regional chambers of commerce.

phrasal-verb

lay off workers

Meaning

to dismiss employees due to economic downturn

Example

Several companies had to **lay off workers** during the recession.

phrasal-verb

adhere to principles

Meaning

to continue to obey or follow moral rules or beliefs

Example

A true professional should **adhere to principles** even under pressure.

phrasal-verb

soak away stress

Meaning

to relax and release stress gradually

Example

A warm bath can help you **soak away stress** after a busy day.

phrasal-verb

hand back praise

Meaning

to redirect compliments to the people who earned them

Example

Great mentors **hand back praise** to the colleagues who did the work.

phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning

to cause something to happen; to make change occur

Example

A good leader can bring about change in any organization.

phrasal-verb

take a break

Meaning

to stop working for a short time to rest

Example

I usually **take a break** around noon.

phrasal-verb

keep striving

Meaning

to continue trying hard to achieve something

Example

Even after success, a true professional keeps **striving** for excellence.

phrasal-verb

grow along with others

Meaning

to develop together through teamwork and shared experience

Example

We **grow along with others** when we learn and support each other.

phrasal-verb

pull into

Meaning

to drive into a place, such as a parking lot or station

Example

The bus **pulled into** the terminal right on time.

phrasal-verb

thank politely

Meaning

to express gratitude in a respectful way

Example

You should always **thank politely** when someone helps you.

phrasal-verb

expand on ideas

Meaning

to explain or develop ideas in more detail

Example

The professor asked me to **expand on ideas** in my essay.

phrasal-verb

back up initiatives

Meaning

to provide support or resources for new projects

Example

Global organizations **back up initiatives** that promote equality.

phrasal-verb

go over the report

Meaning

to review or examine something carefully

Example

Let's **go over the report** before the meeting starts.

phrasal-verb

look back over

Meaning

to review or analyze past events or actions

Example

When you **look back over** your choices, you’ll see where things went wrong.

phrasal-verb

throw in

Meaning

to add something extra for free; to include casually

Example

The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.

phrasal-verb

grow up with

Meaning

to spend your childhood with someone

Example

I **grew up with** my cousins in the same house.

phrasal-verb

freak out about

Meaning

to become very anxious or upset about something

Example

People often **freak out about** deadlines and performance reviews.

phrasal-verb

honor with

Meaning

to give respect or recognition to someone for their contribution

Example

The company **honored him with** an award for his years of service.

phrasal-verb

look beyond yourself

Meaning

to consider others’ feelings or needs instead of focusing only on yourself

Example

Real emotional growth comes when you **look beyond yourself**.

phrasal-verb

fight toward success

Meaning

to struggle and keep working hard to achieve success

Example

They **fought toward success** despite all the challenges.

phrasal-verb

lift the room up

Meaning

to make a group feel more positive

Example

She **lifts the room up** by celebrating small achievements.

phrasal-verb

grow closer to

Meaning

to develop a stronger emotional bond with someone

Example

They have **grown closer to** each other after years of working together.

phrasal-verb

look for

Meaning

to search for something you need

Example

I’m **looking for** a new job because I need more stability.

phrasal-verb

shore up reserves

Meaning

to strengthen or support financial reserves

Example

The central bank moved to **shore up reserves** by buying foreign currency.

phrasal-verb

blend into

Meaning

to mix harmoniously with a group or culture; to become part of the surroundings

Example

She quickly **blended into** the local community by learning their customs.

phrasal-verb

burst out

Meaning

to suddenly start laughing or crying due to surprise or emotion

Example

She **burst out** laughing when she saw his funny costume.

phrasal-verb

acknowledge someone for

Meaning

to recognize and thank someone for their help or contribution

Example

The company **acknowledged her for** her dedication and teamwork.

phrasal-verb

hold it in

Meaning

to stop yourself from showing emotion

Example

He tried to **hold it in**, but the tears came anyway.

phrasal-verb

bulk up

Meaning

to gain muscle and become stronger

Example

He started lifting heavier weights to **bulk up**.

phrasal-verb

ask for

Meaning

to request something

Example

You should **ask for** help if you can’t finish the task.

phrasal-verb

speak from experience

Meaning

to politely justify your opinion based on personal experience

Example

I **speak from experience** when I say this method really works.

phrasal-verb

turn around the economy

Meaning

to improve an economy that was in decline

Example

The stimulus package helped **turn around the economy** after the crisis.

phrasal-verb

respect differences

Meaning

to show appreciation for diversity in opinions or cultures

Example

A global citizen must **respect differences** among people.

phrasal-verb

stand together

Meaning

to unite and act as one in support of a cause

Example

Communities must **stand together** to fight social injustice.

phrasal-verb

hold fast to

Meaning

to remain firmly committed to a belief or value

Example

She **holds fast to** transparency even under pressure.

phrasal-verb

get lost

Meaning

to lose one's way

Example

We **got lost** in the small streets of Venice.

phrasal-verb

dust off

Meaning

to remove dust from something

Example

Could you **dust off** the shelves before putting the books back?

phrasal-verb

cut across borders

Meaning

to go beyond national boundaries or differences

Example

Cultural exchange programs **cut across borders** and bring people together.

phrasal-verb

feed your soul with joy

Meaning

to engage in activities that make you genuinely happy

Example

Spend time in nature to **feed your soul with joy**.

phrasal-verb

grow apart from

Meaning

to gradually stop having the same interests or feelings

Example

As time passed, they **grew apart from** each other.

phrasal-verb

blow apart emotionally

Meaning

to lose control because of overwhelming emotion

Example

After the breakup, she **blew apart emotionally** for weeks.

phrasal-verb

kick tricky issues up

Meaning

to escalate complicated problems to a higher level

Example

Service reps **kick tricky issues up** when policy decisions are needed.

phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning

to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent

Example

Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.

phrasal-verb

log back in

Meaning

to enter your account again after logging out

Example

I had to **log back in** after my session expired.

phrasal-verb

stand up after failure

Meaning

to recover and try again after failing

Example

Winners are those who **stand up after failure** and keep trying.

phrasal-verb

get out

Meaning

to leave or exit a place or vehicle

Example

He quickly **got out** of the taxi and ran inside.

phrasal-verb

go over to

Meaning

to switch to another app, tab, or platform

Example

Let’s **go over to** the discussion forum to share our ideas.

phrasal-verb

take forward

Meaning

to move a plan or project to the next stage

Example

We need strong leadership to **take forward** the innovation agenda.

phrasal-verb

tune in for

Meaning

to watch or listen to something at a scheduled time

Example

Millions **tune in for** the morning science segment online.

phrasal-verb

build around

Meaning

to base something on a central idea or feature

Example

The company plans to **build around** AI as its main technology.

phrasal-verb

argue over

Meaning

to have a disagreement or fight about something

Example

They often **argue over** project deadlines in the office.

phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning

to keep money so you can buy something in the future

Example

I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.

phrasal-verb

unwind with

Meaning

to relax by doing something enjoyable

Example

I usually **unwind with** some music after dinner.

phrasal-verb

learn to appreciate

Meaning

to develop admiration or respect for other traditions and beliefs

Example

Through travel, you can **learn to appreciate** cultural diversity.

phrasal-verb

wake early

Meaning

to get up early in the morning; to start the day early

Example

I try to **wake early** every morning to enjoy the quiet and plan my day.

phrasal-verb

burst into flames

Meaning

to suddenly start burning

Example

The car **burst into flames** after the collision.

phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning

to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement

Example

After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.

phrasal-verb

warm to someone

Meaning

to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them

Example

She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.

phrasal-verb

get away to

Meaning

to go somewhere for a short vacation or break

Example

We’re planning to **get away to** the mountains this weekend.

phrasal-verb

light upon

Meaning

to discover or notice something that brings appreciation or gratitude

Example

I **lighted upon** an old letter that reminded me of your kindness.

phrasal-verb

look at

Meaning

to examine or consider something

Example

Now, let’s **look at** the data from last year.

phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning

to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change

Example

We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.

phrasal-verb

transition through

Meaning

to pass through different phases of change smoothly

Example

The company managed to **transition through** restructuring with minimal disruption.

phrasal-verb

break in

Meaning

to interrupt; to force entry into a place

Example

Sorry to **break in**, but can I add something?

phrasal-verb

pick out of

Meaning

to choose from a group

Example

She was **picked out of** hundreds of applicants.

phrasal-verb

dig in for

Meaning

to prepare yourself for sustained effort

Example

The team **digs in for** late nights ahead of launch week.

phrasal-verb

find out

Meaning

to discover information

Example

I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.

phrasal-verb

open up trade routes

Meaning

to create new paths for international exchange of goods

Example

They are negotiating to **open up trade routes** with neighboring countries.

phrasal-verb

build up stamina

Meaning

to increase strength or endurance gradually

Example

Running regularly helps to **build up stamina**.

phrasal-verb

get along across cultures

Meaning

to have a friendly and positive relationship with people from other cultures

Example

To work abroad successfully, you need to **get along across cultures**.

phrasal-verb

step on

Meaning

to press down with your foot; to offend or hurt someone's feelings

Example

Be careful not to **step on** anyone’s toes during the meeting.

phrasal-verb

be moved by

Meaning

to be emotionally affected by someone’s good act

Example

She was deeply **moved by** the support she received.

phrasal-verb

sink money into

Meaning

to invest a large amount of money in something that may not be profitable

Example

They **sank money into** a risky cryptocurrency venture.

phrasal-verb

bring on board

Meaning

to include or involve someone in a team or project

Example

We want to **bring on board** a partner who shares our vision.

phrasal-verb

expand into

Meaning

to grow a business into new territories or sectors

Example

They are planning to **expand into** renewable energy markets.

phrasal-verb

build upon feedback

Meaning

to use team feedback to improve or develop something

Example

We should **build upon feedback** from our colleagues.

phrasal-verb

deal out

Meaning

to distribute something to several people

Example

The teacher **dealt out** the exam papers.

phrasal-verb

roll back

Meaning

to reverse or reduce the effect of something

Example

The government decided to **roll back** the new data policy after criticism.

phrasal-verb

carry back to

Meaning

to take someone or something to a previous state or time

Example

This smell **carries me back to** my grandmother’s kitchen.

phrasal-verb

seek out

Meaning

to look for and find something or someone with effort

Example

She loves to **seek out** new experiences when she travels.

phrasal-verb

turn away from

Meaning

to stop doing or being involved in something

Example

He decided to **turn away from** politics.

phrasal-verb

take office

Meaning

to begin an official position or duty

Example

The new prime minister will **take office** next week.

phrasal-verb

fall into recession

Meaning

to enter a period of economic decline

Example

The global economy may **fall into recession** if inflation continues to rise.

phrasal-verb

layer on

Meaning

to add layers or levels to a piece of art or design

Example

He **layered on** different textures to make the painting richer.

phrasal-verb

stand together for unity

Meaning

to join forces in promoting peace and mutual respect

Example

The nations **stood together for unity** during the summit.

phrasal-verb

ring out

Meaning

to make a loud sound, especially of bells or alarms

Example

Church bells **rang out** across the city.

phrasal-verb

shift over to

Meaning

to move from one system, process, or mindset to another

Example

They decided to **shift over to** digital platforms for better flexibility.

phrasal-verb

point away from

Meaning

to direct attention away from something

Example

He tried to **point away from** the real issue.

phrasal-verb

carry yourself

Meaning

to behave in a confident and graceful way

Example

He knows how to **carry himself** with confidence in any situation.

phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning

to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude

Example

I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!

phrasal-verb

push back

Meaning

to delay something to a later time or date

Example

We had to **push back** the deadline due to unexpected issues.

phrasal-verb

hack into

Meaning

to secretly enter a computer system or account

Example

Someone tried to **hack into** my account last night.

phrasal-verb

speak kindly of

Meaning

to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation

Example

Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.

phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning

to maintain contact or communication with someone over time

Example

Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.

phrasal-verb

eat out

Meaning

to eat at a restaurant instead of at home

Example

We decided to **eat out** tonight.

phrasal-verb

reach higher goals

Meaning

to achieve more ambitious objectives or aims

Example

The company’s vision encourages employees to **reach higher goals**.

phrasal-verb

pull out of the deal

Meaning

to withdraw from an agreement or contract

Example

Several companies **pulled out of the deal** due to political instability.

phrasal-verb

track against goals

Meaning

to measure performance by comparing it to targets

Example

We **track against goals** every Monday so the team stays focused.

phrasal-verb

dry up

Meaning

to become dry or have no water left

Example

Many rivers may **dry up** if rainfall continues to decrease.

phrasal-verb

grow beyond

Meaning

to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief

Example

She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.

phrasal-verb

split up tasks

Meaning

to divide work among people in a group

Example

Let’s **split up tasks** so everyone knows what to do.

phrasal-verb

catch off guard

Meaning

to surprise someone unexpectedly

Example

Her sudden question **caught me off guard**.

phrasal-verb

fall out

Meaning

to have an argument; to stop being friends

Example

They **fell out** over a small misunderstanding.

phrasal-verb

move beyond boundaries

Meaning

to work or cooperate across national or traditional limits

Example

Global collaboration helps us **move beyond boundaries** to solve shared challenges.

phrasal-verb

boil down

Meaning

to simplify something to its essential points

Example

The report **boils down** to one key recommendation: cut costs.

phrasal-verb

move closer to

Meaning

to make progress toward achieving a goal

Example

Every small win moves you **closer to** success.

phrasal-verb

bring down costs

Meaning

to reduce the expenses involved in trading or production

Example

New technologies help companies **bring down costs** of international logistics.

phrasal-verb

fill out arrival forms

Meaning

to complete entry paperwork when arriving somewhere

Example

Travelers **fill out arrival forms** while waiting in the queue.

phrasal-verb

stand around

Meaning

to spend time standing and doing nothing

Example

We were just **standing around** waiting for the bus.

phrasal-verb

hand off context

Meaning

to give background information with a task

Example

Please **hand off context** when you reassign the ticket.

phrasal-verb

set apart

Meaning

to make something or someone distinctive or unique

Example

Innovative design can **set apart** a brand from its competitors.

phrasal-verb

reach out for support

Meaning

to ask for help or comfort from others

Example

Don't be afraid to **reach out for support** when you feel alone.