Abstract and Mental Phrasal Verbs

to kiss and touch someone in a sexual manner

The couple couldn't keep their hands off each other and made out on the couch all night.

to create a false or fictional story or information

The gossip columnist made rumors up about the celebrities.

to define oneself as belonging to a particular category, group, or label

She identifies as non-binary, meaning she doesn't exclusively identify as male or female.

to be socially fit for or belong within a particular group or environment

Moving to a new school can be challenging, but she quickly found a way to fit in with her classmates.

to focus on something or someone as the primary subject or point of interest

The plot of the movie revolves around a detective solving a complex mystery.

to provide explanations or reasons for a particular situation or set of circumstances

In the report, the analyst will account for the recent decline in sales.

to amount to a particular total

The expenses for the project will add up to a significant sum if we consider all the necessary materials and labor costs.

to be easily noticed, often due to being different from the surrounding elements

The tall tower stuck out on the skyline, drawing the eyes of all who passed by.

to officially induct someone into a position or office, typically involving an oath

The mayor will swear in the new council members during the city hall ceremony.

to be the reason for a specific incident or result

The negotiations brought about a resolution to the conflict.

to focus on a particular person or thing from a group in either a positive or negative manner

The teacher singled out the student for their outstanding essay.

to advance toward the end of a specific period of time

As we draw on towards the end of the semester, it's essential to finalize our projects and prepare for exams.

to indicate that something is about to happen

The changing colors of the leaves ushered in the beauty of the fall season.

terminate

to agree with or correspond to something

Her views on environmental policy accord with the organization's mission statement.

to lower the price of something, often temporarily

The store marked down the price of the jeans by 50%.

to delay the occurrence of something undesirable or threatening

Adequate sleep and a healthy diet can help stave off fatigue and improve overall well-being

to make a new interest or hobby a regular part of one's life

Let's take up the habit of reading before bedtime.

to completely impress someone

The breathtaking view from the mountaintop bowled her over.

(of an outcome, decision, or situation) to depend entirely on a particular factor or set of circumstances

The outcome of the game will hinge on the performance of the team's star player.

to make a situation or relationship less tense by calming emotions, resolving conflicts, etc.

They decided to smooth over the conflict by quickly changing the topic.

(of a person) to slowly become thin and lose strength, particularly to the point of death

a wild delusion (especially one induced by a hallucinogenic drug)

to concentrate closely on a particular matter

During the negotiation, it's essential to zero in on the key points to reach a swift agreement.

to become more powerful, intense, or larger in quantity

As the tension builds up, everyone anticipates the final match.

to gradually stop using, producing, or providing something

The company plans to phase out the older models of their smartphones next year.

to succeed or come to a favorable outcome

They faced many setbacks in their project, but in the end, everything panned out.

to forcefully end something, often a negative or undesirable situation

The community decided to take action and stamp graffiti out of their neighborhood.

gain points in a game

(of a situation or issue) to continue for a long period of time without resolution

Despite efforts to resolve the dispute, the conflict between the two neighbors continues to rumble on.

to access or make use of a resource or source of information

Successful leaders often tap into the strengths of their team members.

to physically attack someone

The bullies set about the weaker student in a bullying incident.

to make something ineffective

They tried to cancel the noise out with earplugs.

to defend or support someone or something

She bravely stood up for her younger sibling against the school bullies.

to emerge as a particular outcome

The party turned out to be more fun than we thought.

to be prominent and easily noticeable

The glowing neon sign made the cafe stand out among the other businesses on the street.

to cause someone or something to be quiet

I had to hush up my giggling friends during the serious presentation.

to take and lift something or someone up

He picked the suitcase up and walked to the taxi stand.

to remove a piece of clothing or accessory from your or another's body

After a long day at work, I like to take off my high heels.

to accept a particular action or behavior

The teacher doesn't allow for talking during exams to maintain a fair testing environment.

to prevent something from occurring or someone from doing something

Proper training and precautions help rule out injuries on the sports field.

to explain or resolve confusion, making something easier to understand or less ambiguous

The professor took the time to clear up any misunderstandings about the assignment during office hours.

to contact someone to get assistance or help

She urged him to reach out to his family.

to keep treating someone unfairly or making unfair remarks about them

It's not nice to pick on your younger brother just because he's smaller than you.

to bring forth something, often from the realm of imagination, as if by enchantment

Can you conjure up a solution to this problem that we haven't considered yet?

to bring forth a memory or image, causing one to remember or think about something

The smell of freshly baked cookies summoned up memories of holidays with family.

to clearly and explicitly explain something

She spelled the instructions out for the team, providing step-by-step details on how to complete the task.

to present, propose, or offer something for consideration or action

The committee put forth a new proposal to improve employee benefits.

to find something or someone unexpectedly

While hiking in the woods, we stumbled on an old abandoned cabin.