Have you been reading the posts? To refresh our memory, here is a list of “phrasal verbs” which we learnt last week (Jul 19-Jul 25, 2026). Click HERE to download the PDF of “phrasal verbs”.

“Phrasal Verbs” We Learnt Last Week (Jul 19-Jul 25, 2026)

account for (phrasal verb) – to constitute or make up a part of a whole; comprise, form.
E.g.: Renewable energy sources must account for a significantly larger share of the national grid to meet climate targets.
act with (phrasal verb) – to behave or proceed demonstrating a particular quality.
E.g.: The central bank must act with absolute transparency when auditing large financial corporations.
base on (phrasal verb) – to use something as the foundation or starting point for something else.
E.g.: Policymakers typically base their infrastructural decisions on comprehensive demographic surveys.
beat up (phrasal verb) – to assault or attack someone violently; batter, thrash.
E.g.: The administration strongly condemned the mob that attempted to beat up peaceful activists.
belong to (phrasal verb) – to fit into a particular category or classification.
E.g.: Such draconian censorship measures belong to an outdated era of authoritarian governance.
bend towards (phrasal verb) – to lean or show a tendency or inclination toward a particular direction or outcome.
E.g.: Global supply chains increasingly bend towards sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices.
bet on (phrasal verb) – to rely on something happening or being successful; bank on, depend on.
E.g.: Emerging economies continue to bet on the technology sector’s robust growth to drive mass employment.
break into (phrasal verb) – to violently or forcefully enter or breach something.
E.g.: Cybercriminals frequently attempt to break into classified government databases, prompting stricter digital security laws.
built upon (phrasal verb) – to be based on or reliant on something; founded on, established on.
E.g.: A resilient modern economy is strictly built upon a foundation of strong, independent democratic institutions.
cater to (phrasal verb) – serve, provide for, meet the needs of, satisfy.
E.g.: Future educational reforms must effectively cater to the evolving demands of a highly specialized workforce.
comply with (phrasal verb) – to act in accordance with; abide by, adhere to, observe.
E.g.: Multinational corporations operating within the border must fully comply with local environmental regulations.
depend on (phrasal verb) – to be determined or decided by something; rely on, hinge on.
E.g.: The nation’s swift economic recovery will heavily depend on sustained industrial output and foreign direct investment.
dispose of (phrasal verb) – to deal with or settle a matter, such as an appeal or a case.
E.g.: A special appellate tribunal was established to rapidly dispose of pending corporate litigation.
draw in (phrasal verb) – to attract or persuade someone or something to become involved.
E.g.: Strategic tax incentives were introduced by the finance ministry to draw in lucrative foreign direct investment.
engage in (phrasal verb) – to participate or become involved in; partake in.
E.g.: Warring factions must immediately engage in constructive diplomatic dialogue to ensure regional stability.
engage with (phrasal verb) – to make an effort to understand and deal with someone or something.
E.g.: Democratic governments need to actively engage with civil society organizations to draft inclusive social legislation.
fall apart (phrasal verb) – to break down, collapse, or fail completely; disintegrate.
E.g.: The historic bilateral trade agreement began to fall apart amid sudden political hostilities.
find out (phrasal verb) – discover, realize, unearth.
E.g.: An independent judicial committee was tasked to find out the administrative failures leading to the economic crisis.
fizzle out (phrasal verb) – to end or fail in a weak or disappointing way; peter out, taper off.
E.g.: Without sustained legislative support, the ambitious structural reform is highly likely to fizzle out.
focus on (phrasal verb) – to pay particular attention to a specific subject or area; concentrate on.
E.g.: The revised agricultural policy will heavily focus on enhancing rural irrigation and supply chains.
give up (phrasal verb) – to cease making an effort and accept defeat; surrender, concede defeat.
E.g.: The administration cannot simply give up on its overarching mandate of eradicating systemic poverty.
go past (phrasal verb) – to progress beyond a certain stage or round; advance beyond, exceed.
E.g.: International climate negotiations must go past preliminary rhetoric to achieve tangible, legally binding results.
go through (phrasal verb) – to undergo a difficult period or experience; endure, face.
E.g.: The developing nation had to go through a rigorous economic transformation to secure vital funding.
grapple with (phrasal verb) – to try to deal with or understand a difficult problem or subject.
E.g.: Central banks globally continue to grapple with unpredictable inflation rates and stagnant wage growth.
hollow out (phrasal verb) – weaken, undermine, empty, deplete.
E.g.: Persistent corruption and bureaucratic apathy can effectively hollow out democratic institutions over time.
keen on (phrasal verb) – very interested, eager, or wanting to do something very much.
E.g.: The finance ministry is particularly keen on adopting blockchain technology to monitor public subsidies.
keep out (phrasal verb) – to prevent someone or something from entering or being included; exclude, bar.
E.g.: Protectionist import tariffs were introduced by the state to keep out heavily subsidized foreign goods.
lay bare (phrasal verb) – to reveal or uncover something; expose, unveil, disclose.
E.g.: The unexpected global pandemic served to lay bare the severe vulnerabilities of the national public healthcare system.
lay down (phrasal verb) – to deposit over time in geological formations or to establish a rule.
E.g.: The newly ratified constitution explicitly lays down the fundamental civic rights of all citizens.
lead to (phrasal verb) – to result in a particular situation or event; cause, bring about, produce.
E.g.: Continuous policy missteps and excessive state borrowing can often lead to severe macroeconomic instability.
lie in (phrasal verb) – to be found or to exist in a certain state or situation; consist in, be present in.
E.g.: The ultimate solution to the urban employment crisis may lie in fostering stronger public-private partnerships.
look away (phrasal verb) – to turn one’s eyes away from someone or something, or to ignore a situation.
E.g.: Law enforcement authorities cannot simply look away when fundamental human rights are blatantly violated.
look for (phrasal verb) – to attempt to find; search for, seek, pursue.
E.g.: Federal regulators actively look for statistical anomalies during routine annual audits of large financial firms.
make up (phrasal verb) – to form or constitute a whole; comprise, account for.
E.g.: Micro and small enterprises currently make up the resilient backbone of the national industrial economy.
move back (phrasal verb) – to return to a previous location; return, go back, relocate to origin.
E.g.: After the experimental trial failed, the organization decided to move back to its original regulatory framework.
move beyond (phrasal verb) – to progress past a particular issue or stage; go past, transcend.
E.g.: The polarized society must urgently move beyond outdated prejudices to achieve meaningful social integration.
move through (phrasal verb) – to progress or pass through different stages or phases.
E.g.: The contentious legislation must move through several parliamentary committees before it sees formal enactment.
move toward (phrasal verb) – to progress or advance in a particular direction or towards a goal.
E.g.: Many industrialized nations are actively moving toward total renewable energy adoption to combat global warming.
pass through (phrasal verb) – to move through a place or area; traverse, navigate.
E.g.: Significant volumes of international maritime trade pass through this highly strategic geopolitical chokepoint every day.
pay off (phrasal verb) – to yield good results; succeed, be successful, bear fruit.
E.g.: Sustained long-term investments in human capital and vocational skilling eventually pay off for developing economies.
point to (phrasal verb) – indicate, suggest, signal, denote.
E.g.: Early economic indicators and quarterly earnings reports heavily point to a gradual industrial recovery.
preside over (phrasal verb) – to be in the position of authority in a meeting or other gathering; direct, head, lead.
E.g.: The Chief Justice will officially preside over the constitutional bench hearing the landmark electoral dispute.
pull out (phrasal verb) – to extract or rescue someone from a confined or dangerous situation; withdraw, extract.
E.g.: The international peacekeeping military force was finally ordered to pull out of the volatile conflict zone.
push for (phrasal verb) – to demand something repeatedly or forcefully; call for, insist on.
E.g.: Climate activists continue to push for more stringent environmental protections in the upcoming legislative session.
push into (phrasal verb) – to force someone into a particular situation or state; compel to enter.
E.g.: Unprecedented economic hardships and hyperinflation can easily push vulnerable populations into extreme poverty.
push off (phrasal verb) – to forcefully move someone or something away from a position; thrust away, drive off.
E.g.: The election commission had to push off the voter registration deadline due to severe administrative delays.
rain down (phrasal verb) – to fall or cause to fall in large quantities; shower, drop.
E.g.: Severe financial sanctions will rain down on any foreign entities found violating the international non-proliferation treaty.
reach out (phrasal verb) – to try to communicate with a person or a group of people; approach, contact, engage with.
E.g.: The ruling government must urgently reach out to marginalized rural communities to ensure inclusive economic growth.
read as (phrasal verb) – to be interpreted or understood in a particular way; construe as, take to mean.
E.g.: The Prime Minister’s prolonged diplomatic silence could readily be read as a sign of underlying geopolitical friction.
resort to (phrasal verb) – to adopt a difficult or extreme course of action in order to resolve a difficult situation; fall back on, employ.
E.g.: The state should never resort to sweeping internet shutdowns to curb peaceful public dissent.
ride with (phrasal verb) – to support, join, or align oneself with a particular group or trend; join forces with.
E.g.: Domestic startups often ride with prevailing technological trends to secure vital venture capital funding.
round out (phrasal verb) – to make something more complete or finish it in a satisfactory way; cap off.
E.g.: The newly announced welfare policies will round out the administration’s comprehensive economic reform package.
sear into (phrasal verb) – to fix an image or memory permanently and painfully in the mind; burn into, imprint on.
E.g.: The tragic events of the unprovoked conflict will permanently sear into the collective memory of the nation.
set up (phrasal verb) – to establish or create something; initiate, institute, found.
E.g.: The justice department plans to set up a dedicated tribunal strictly for prosecuting international cyber crimes.
shift away from (phrasal verb) – to change focus or movement from one thing to another.
E.g.: Global manufacturing industries must shift away from carbon-intensive production methods to ensure future sustainability.
shrug off (phrasal verb) – to dismiss something as unimportant or to rid oneself of a negative effect; ignore, disregard.
E.g.: The resilient stock market managed to shrug off the brief period of geopolitical instability within days.
shut down (phrasal verb) – to cease business or operation entirely; close, terminate, halt.
E.g.: Environmental authorities were eventually forced to shut down the illegal, unregulated mining operations.
sit in (phrasal verb) – to be located or positioned in a particular place; rest in.
E.g.: The newly designated cybersecurity task force will officially sit in the national defense headquarters.
stand at (phrasal verb) – to be at a particular level, amount, or height; measure at, be at.
E.g.: Following the market crash, the country’s foreign exchange reserves currently stand at an all-time low.
starve of (phrasal verb) – to deprive someone or something of a necessity or vital resource; deny, keep short of.
E.g.: Red tape and bureaucratic delays often starve crucial public infrastructure projects of necessary funding.
subject to (phrasal verb) – to cause or force someone or something to undergo a particular experience or treatment; expose to.
E.g.: All exported pharmaceutical goods are legally subject to rigorous quality control inspections before shipment.
switch off (phrasal verb) – turn off, shut down, disconnect, cut off.
E.g.: Policymakers cannot simply switch off the adverse effects of deep-rooted, systemic economic inequalities.
take back (phrasal verb) – to regain possession or control of something; reclaim, retrieve, repossess.
E.g.: The newly formed political alliance aims to take back the legislative majority in the upcoming general elections.
take on (phrasal verb) – to acquire or assume a particular meaning, quality, or role; adopt, embrace.
E.g.: The central bank has decided to take on a much more proactive role in regulating decentralized digital currencies.
test against (phrasal verb) – evaluate against, measure against, challenge with, pit against.
E.g.: Novel macroeconomic frameworks must always be rigorously tested against established international fiscal benchmarks.
turn against (phrasal verb) – to become hostile to someone or something that one previously supported; oppose, betray.
E.g.: Volatile public sentiment can quickly turn against an incumbent administration that is failing to deliver basic governance.
turn into (phrasal verb) – transform into, convert into, change into, become.
E.g.: A seemingly localized labor grievance can rapidly turn into a nationwide political movement if left unaddressed.
vest with (phrasal verb) – to confer or bestow power or authority on someone; entrust to, endow with.
E.g.: The national constitution officially vests the President with sweeping executive and emergency powers.
wait out (phrasal verb) – to patiently delay action until a specific event or situation comes to an end; ride out.
E.g.: The parliamentary opposition wisely decided to wait out the political storm before releasing a formal press statement.
wear off (phrasal verb) – to lose effectiveness or intensity; fade, diminish, decrease.
E.g.: The initial public enthusiasm for the sweeping legislative reforms unfortunately began to wear off over time.
weigh on (phrasal verb) – to cause someone to feel anxious or troubled; burden, oppress, worry.
E.g.: Persistently increasing fiscal deficits and trade imbalances heavily weigh on the nation’s long-term economic outlook.