50+ Useful Phrasal Verbs with UP (with Meaning & Examples)

Blow up(explode): The car blew up after it crashed into the wall.
Break up(End a romantic relationship): Eva and her boyfriend broke up last week.
Bring up(Look after a child until it grows up, usually children): They brough their children up to be responsible adults.
Bring up(Introduce or mention a subject): Bring it up at the meeting!
Build up(Make a business bigger, to develop contacts or a presence in the market): We have built up the business over the years and it now employs over 20 people."
Build up(Increase over time): It's important to build your muscle strength up over time.
Burn up(Destroy something completely with fire): The spacecraft burned up as it entered the earth's atmosphere.
Burn up(Make somebody very angry): The way he treats me really burns me up.
Burn up(Have a high temperature): You're burning up—have you seen a doctor?
Call up(Telephone): I'm going to call up and cancel my subscription.
Call up(Bring back to your mind): The smell of the sea called up memories of her childhood.
Catch up(Reach somebody who's in front of you): Go on ahead. I'll catch up with you.
Catch up(To reach the same level or standard as somebody who was better or more advanced): After missing a term through illness he had to work hard to catch up with the others.
Catch up(To do something that you have not been able to do recently): Recently, I've had a lot of science homework. This weekend, I need to catch up on my reading for English class.
Check up(To make sure that somebody is doing what they should be doing): My parents are always checking up on me.
Check up(Obtain information about somebody or something to find out if something is true or correct): I need to check up on a few things before I can decide.
Cheer up(To make someone happier): Can you cheer Tim up?
Chop up(Cut into small pieces): Can you chop up some carrots for me?
Come up(Happen unexpectedly): I'm afraid I can't make the meeting tomorrow. Something has come up."
Divide up(Distribute): We can divide up the commission among the sales staff.
Divide up(Force up the prices or costs): The uncertainty in the markets is dividing up labour costs.
Do up(Fasten up): Do you know how to do up your seat belt?
Do up(Arrange hair so that it's tied or fastened close): Although be when do up one's hair, drop a lot of hairs accordingly, also cannot explain you begin bald-headed.
Do up(To repair and decorate a house, etc.): He makes money by buying old houses and doing them up.
Dress up(To wear a fancy dress, a costume to disguise yourself): He dressed up as a pirate, for the party.
Dress up(Put on clothes): There's no need to dress up—come as you are.
Eat up(To eat all the food that you've been given): If you eat up all your vegetables, you can have dessert.
End up(Eventually do/decide): We ended up going to the theatre instead of the gallery.
Get up(Get out of bed): I got up early this morning and went for a walk.
Give up(To abandon to do something/To stop doing something): Time to give up!
Go up(To increase): The price of gas went up in March.
Grow up(To become an adult): I'm 18, I'm a grown-up now!
Heat up(To make hotter): I'll heat the soup up for lunch.
Hurry up(To do something faster, to get ready faster): Could you please hurry up?!
Keep up(Continue at the same rate): Slow down! I can't keep up.
Liven up(To make something more fun): Let's liven this party up with a game.
Look up(Find, search for): Did you look up the telephone number of the restaurant?
Make up(Invent, lie about something): Don't believe everything she tells you. She likes making up stories.
Meet up(Make an arrangement to meet): What time should we meet up on Wednesday?
Open up(Start to talk freely about something): She hates to open up and discuss her feelings.
Pass up(To not take an opportunity): We can't pass up this chance of increasing productivity.
Pick up(To improve over time): My health has picked up over the past few days.
Put up(To raise): We'll have to put our prices up to compete.
Set up(Arrange): I'll help you set up for the party as soon as I get home.
Show up(Arrive): You can rely on Jim to show up on time.
Speak up(To speak with a stronger voice): You need to speak up for people to understand you.
Speed up(To go faster in a vehicle): He quickly sped up to sixty miles an hour.
Stand up(To be on your feet): There were no seats left so I had to stand up.
Start up (to start something new): They've started up a new division in Southern Europe.
Take up(Start): Have you taken up any new hobbies lately?
Turn up(To raise the volume): I like to turn the stereo up when nobody is home.
Warm up(To make hotter): I'll warm this soup up for lunch.
Write up(Write a report or minutes): It'll take him at least a week to write up his findings.
Back up(Cause to move backward): You can back up another two feet or so.
Back up(Support or help someone): The rebels backed up their demands with threats.
Draw up(Prepare a written document): They agreed to draw up a formal agreement.
Draw up(If a vehicle draws up, it arrives and stops): The cab drew up outside the house.
Fix up(Repair): They fixed up the house before they moved in.