phrasal verbs for hate

Phrasal Verbs for Hate: A Comprehensive Guide for English Learners

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, often used in everyday conversations. They consist of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs), which change the meaning of the original verb. In this article, we will explore phrasal verbs related to the emotion of hate, providing meanings, examples, and exercises to help you master them.

1. Look down on

Meaning: To dislike or have a low opinion of someone, often because you think you are better than them.

• She looks down on people who don’t have a college degree.
• He looks down on his coworkers because he thinks they are lazy.
• They look down on anyone who doesn’t share their political views.

2. Pick on

Meaning: To repeatedly criticize, tease, or bully someone, often unfairly.

• The teacher always picks on me even when I haven’t done anything wrong.
• Stop picking on your little brother—it’s not funny.
• Bullies often pick on kids who are shy or different.

3. Turn against

Meaning: To start disliking or opposing someone or something you previously supported.

• After the scandal, many fans turned against the celebrity.
• She turned against her best friend after discovering the betrayal.
• The public quickly turned against the politician when his lies were exposed.

4. Go off (on someone)

Meaning: To angrily criticize or shout at someone.

• My boss went off on me for being late to the meeting.
• She went off on her roommate for leaving the kitchen messy.
• He went off on the customer service representative, which wasn’t fair.

5. Put down

Meaning: To insult or criticize someone, making them feel unimportant.

• He always puts down his colleagues to make himself look better.
• She felt hurt when her so-called friend put her down in front of everyone.
• Parents should encourage their children instead of putting them down.

6. Run down

Meaning: To speak negatively about someone or something.

• He’s always running down his ex-girlfriend to his friends.
• Don’t run down other people’s achievements just because you’re jealous.
• The media loves to run down celebrities for minor mistakes.

7. Get at

Meaning: To criticize someone repeatedly or indirectly.

• Are you getting at me because I forgot your birthday?
• She kept making sarcastic comments, and I knew she was getting at me.
• Stop getting at him—he’s already apologized.

8. Take it out on

Meaning: To unfairly direct your anger or frustration at someone else.

• Just because you had a bad day doesn’t mean you should take it out on me.
• He often takes his stress out on his family, which isn’t fair.
• She took her frustration out on her coworkers, making the office tense.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct phrasal verb from the list above to complete the sentences.

1. She always __________ people who don’t dress as well as she does.
2. After the argument, he __________ his best friend and stopped talking to him.
3. The coach __________ the player for missing the goal.
4. Don’t __________ your little sister just because you’re in a bad mood.
5. The boss __________ me for making a small mistake.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences

Rewrite the following sentences using the correct phrasal verb.

1. She insults her coworkers to feel superior. → She __________ her coworkers.
2. He shouted at me angrily for no reason. → He __________ me.
3. They started disliking the politician after the scandal. → They __________ the politician.
4. Stop teasing your brother! → Stop __________ your brother!
5. He criticizes his employees all the time. → He __________ his employees.

Answer Key

Exercise 1 Answers

1. looks down on
2. turned against
3. put down
4. take it out on
5. went off on

Exercise 2 Answers

1. puts down
2. went off on
3. turned against
4. picking on
5. runs down / gets at

By practicing these phrasal verbs, you’ll improve your understanding of how to express dislike or hatred in English naturally. Keep using them in conversations to become more fluent!