phrasal verbnoun [ C ]
uk/ˌfreɪ.zəl ˈvɜːb/us/ˌfreɪ.zəl ˈvɝːb/B1 a phrase that consists of a verb with a preposition or adverb or both, the meaning of which is different from the meaning of its separate parts:
"Pay for", "work out", and "make up for" are all phrasal verbs.
More examples
- The phrasal verb 'heal up' is intransitive.
- Some phrasal verbs consist of three words, such as 'look up to'.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: verb forms, tenses & types of verbs
- accusative
- arose
- art
- aspect
- began
- bent
- conjugate
- ditransitive
- historic present
- linking verb
- main verb
- passivize
- past participle
- predicate
- progressive
- the future perfect
- the pluperfect
- the present simple
- the third person
- wast
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