English Phrasal Verbs With “down”

English Phrasal Verbs With “Down”

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, and those with “down” often indicate a reduction, stopping, or decline in something. Below is a comprehensive list of common phrasal verbs with “down,” their meanings, and examples to help English learners understand and use them effectively.

1. Break Down

Meaning: To stop working (for machines) or to lose control emotionally (for people).

My car broke down on the highway yesterday.
She broke down in tears after hearing the sad news.
The negotiations broke down because neither side agreed.

2. Calm Down

Meaning: To become less angry or upset.

Please calm down and tell me what happened.
He took deep breaths to calm down before the interview.
The teacher asked the noisy students to calm down.

3. Cut Down

Meaning: To reduce the amount of something.

I need to cut down on sugar to improve my health.
The company cut down its expenses to save money.
They cut down several trees to build the new road.

4. Let Down

Meaning: To disappoint someone.

He let me down by not showing up for the meeting.
She felt let down when her team didn’t support her.
Don’t let your parents down; study hard for the exams.

5. Put Down

Meaning: To place something on a surface or to insult someone.

She put down her bag and sat on the sofa.
He always puts people down with his rude comments.
The vet had to put down the injured dog.

6. Settle Down

Meaning: To become calm or to start a stable life.

After traveling for years, he decided to settle down in a small town.
The kids finally settled down and went to sleep.
She wants to settle down and start a family soon.

7. Turn Down

Meaning: To refuse an offer or to reduce volume/heat.

She turned down the job offer because of the low salary.
Can you turn down the music? It’s too loud.
He turned down the heater before leaving the house.

8. Write Down

Meaning: To record something on paper.

Please write down the address so you don’t forget it.
He wrote down all the important points from the lecture.
The teacher asked the students to write down their answers.

9. Slow Down

Meaning: To reduce speed or activity.

You should slow down when driving in heavy rain.
He needs to slow down at work to avoid stress.
The doctor advised him to slow down and rest more.

10. Bring Down

Meaning: To reduce or cause something to fall.

The government is trying to bring down inflation rates.
The storm brought down several power lines.
His careless mistake brought down the whole system.

Exercises

Test your understanding of these phrasal verbs with the following exercises.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete each sentence.

She was so upset that she ___ in tears. (broke down / turned down)
He ___ the job because it required too much travel. (put down / turned down)
Please ___ the volume; it’s too loud. (slow down / turn down)
After years of partying, he decided to ___ and get married. (settle down / write down)
The old tree was ___ to make space for construction. (cut down / bring down)

Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb to Its Meaning

Phrasal Verb	Meaning
Break down	To stop working or lose control emotionally
Calm down	To become less angry or upset
Cut down	To reduce the amount of something
Let down	To disappoint someone
Put down	To place something down or insult someone

Exercise 3: Create Sentences

Write a sentence using each of the following phrasal verbs:

Bring down
Write down
Slow down
Settle down
Let down