Common phrasal verbs in writing

The two lists below show commonly used phrasal verbs in academic writing and their one-word synonyms. Although it is academically acceptable to use phrasal verbs, you might want to switch them to their one-word synonyms to make your writing diverse and more professional. 

The examples given in the lists are only applicable to a certain meaning of a given phrasal verb. Don’t forget that a phrasal verb can have more than one definition, and the suggested synonym can’t contain every meaning of the phrasal verb.

Separable phrasal verbs

You can put the object between the verb and the preposition in these phrasal verbs. Don’t forget that you should always separate these phrasal verbs when using pronouns (e.g. “He wrote down the paragraph” but “He wrote it down”).

Phrasal verbs Examples Synonyms
Add up
He added up the number of sold properties.
Calculate
Buy out
The firm bought out the rival firm.
Purchase (Someone's assets)
Buy up
The woman’s clothes were bought up in the yard sale.
Purchase (all of something)
Call off
Maybe I should call off the party.
Cancel
Carry on
He needed to carry on with the project.
Continue
Carry out
Did you carry out the task as I asked?
Execute
Cut out
As the paragraph didn’t fit in with the rest of the paper, she had to cut it out.
Delete
Find out
Researchers found out a new species.
Discover
Get (it) over with (split)
The innocent suspect was happy that the police got the investigation over with.
Complete
Get across
Get my message across so that he won’t make the same mistake.
Communicate
Give up
Tribes didn’t give up until the 19th century.
Surrender
Hold up
The flight was held up due to the weather conditions.
Delay
Leave out
Don’t leave out any necessary information in your paper.
Omit
Make up
He made up an excuse to skip their plan.
Fabricate
Make out
It was impossible to make out the settlement in the dark.
See
Pass up
This job is an opportunity one should not pass up.
Miss
Pass on
The virus can pass on with a cough.
Transmit
Pass out
The products were passed out to the sellers.
Distribute
Pick up
You can pick your presentation up from where you left off.
Resume
Point out
I pointed it out for the boss to understand.
Explain
Set up
The wedding planner is setting up the venue as we speak.
Arrange
Turn down
Several interviewees were turned down.
Reject
Use up
We used up all the possibilities and found nothing.
Exhaust

Inseparable phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs Examples Synonyms
Back out of
The company backed out of the signed agreement.
Abandon
Bear on
Aristotle’s works have been bearing on the new philosophers for years.
Influence
Catch up with
Their newest factory works hard to catch up with the older ones.
Equal
Call on
She called on the biographies of great businesspeople.
Utilize
Call for
Papers are called for the annual conference.
Require
Count on
I knew I could count on you!
Rely on
Cut down on
The government cut down on budgets.
Reduce
Come up with
The researchers came up with a solution.
Invent
Fall apart
After the election, the losing party fell apart.
Disintegrate
Get away
The criminal thought he could get away with the murder.
Escape
Get along with
The two countries failed to get along with one another for years.
Be friendly with
Give in
For 20 years, he didn’t give in to the oppression from the big companies.
Yield
Go on
The war could go on for years if it weren’t for him.
Continue
Hold on to
Many seniors held on to their paychecks for a holiday.
Keep
Hold out on
The police held out on the press about the case.
Hide (something)
Look into
We should look into other options before making a decision.
Research
Look out for
Cops had to look out for the shooter in the crowd.
Safeguard against
Make sure of
The government had to make sure of their safety on the road.
Ensure
Pick up on
The detective picked up on the hidden evidence.
Notice
Put up with
Doctors have to put up with troubled patients.
Tolerate
See to
I will personally see to your request.
Arrange
Take after
Homo sapiens took after other species.
Resemble
Touch on
He touched on some sensitive topics in his presentation.
Mention
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Ibrahim Akturk
Content editor at Tamara Research. Translation major, huge coffee and baking nerd. Addicted to good music and great articles.

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