Phrasal verbs: change and recovery

Vocabulary in this set

Practise these common expressions when describing reductions, setbacks, recovery, and transformation.

1. cut back

   Phrase

   to reduce or decrease, especially in terms of expenses or consumption

   The company had to cut back on its expenses due to financial difficulties.

2. cut down

   Phrase

   to reduce or decrease something, usually by removing parts of it.

   They decided to cut down on their expenses by reducing their monthly grocery budget.

3. turn into

   Phrase

   to transform or change into

   With hard work and dedication, he managed to turn his passion into a successful career.

4. miss out

   Phrase

   to not being able to participate or experience something, often intentionally chosen by an individual but can also be due to external factors. It can also mean to overlook or fail to include something important.

   I really wanted to go to the concert, but I had to miss out because I was sick.

5. fight back

   Phrase

   To resist or defend against an attack or criticism; to counteract or oppose something aggressively.

   Even though outnumbered, they decided to fight back and defend their territory.

6. break through

   Phrase

   to make a significant advance

   The researchers finally managed to break through the barrier in their experiments.

7. fall behind

   Phrase

   to lag or be left behind, especially in a competition or progress

   The student fell behind in her studies due to illness.

8. fall apart

   Phrase

   Fall apart

   When she heard the news, she fell apart and began to cry.

9. fix up

   Phrase

   To repair, improve or restore something.

   They decided to fix up their old house by replacing the roof and painting the walls.

10. mix up

    Phrase

    To confuse or mistake one thing or person for another.

    I always mix up the twins because they look so similar.