PHRASAL VERBS DICTIONARY
Find all the phrasal verbs used in our videos and exercises
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🌎 Across Borders: Migrations That Changed the World – Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal Verb | Meaning + Example |
---|---|
add up | To accumulate or amount to something. "Small acts of exclusion add up over time." |
argue over | To discuss something in a heated way. "Leaders argue over numbers and borders." |
balance out | To create a balance between things. "Policies must balance out security and justice." |
blend in | To mix naturally with others. "Even those who blend in may face invisible barriers." |
bring about | To cause something to happen. "Migration can bring about powerful cultural transformations." |
bring home | To make something clear or real. "The refugee crisis brought home the scale of the issue." |
bring together | To unite people. "National symbols are meant to bring people together." |
build up | To gradually develop or intensify. "Tension can build up when people feel excluded." |
call out | To publicly criticize or expose. "We must call out exclusion when we see it." |
carry along | To bring something with you. "Migrants carry along memories, traditions, and language." |
carry on | To continue despite challenges. "Migrants carry on in limbo while waiting for answers." |
close off | To block or prevent access. "Rigid definitions of identity close off diverse stories." |
crack down on | To take strict action to stop something. "Some countries crack down on irregular migration." |
deal with | To manage or handle something. "Governments must deal with the realities of migration." |
draw a line around | To define something strictly or limitively. "Some national narratives draw a line around who belongs." |
end up in | To find yourself in an unexpected or bad situation. "Many migrants end up in detention centers." |
face up to | To confront a difficult reality. "We must face up to the root causes of migration." |
fell apart | To collapse or break down. "The empire fell apart after centuries of power." |
feed into | To reinforce or contribute to something negative. "Stereotypes feed into political narratives." |
fight for | To struggle to achieve or protect something. "Belonging is often something people have to fight for." |
fit into | To feel accepted or to belong. "Immigrants often try to fit into the new culture." |
follow through | To complete or carry out a plan. "Governments failed to follow through on integration policies." |
frame as | To present something in a particular way. "Migration is often framed as a threat." |
get across | To successfully communicate an idea. "Migrants struggle to get across their point of view." |
get involved in | To become actively engaged in something. "Some get involved in social justice efforts." |
get to the heart of | To reach the most important point. "We must get to the heart of migration debates." |
give rise to | To cause something to happen. "Inequality can give rise to mass migration." |
go through | To experience something difficult. "Migrants often go through traumatic experiences." |
grow into | To gradually become something. "They grow into hybrid cultural identities." |
hand over | To give something, often unwillingly. "They had to hand over their documents at the border." |
hold back | To restrain or limit. "Strict laws held back many from applying for asylum." |
hold on to | To keep or preserve something. "Many hold on to their cultural traditions." |
keep coming | To continue arriving. "Despite restrictions, migrants keep coming." |
keep out | To prevent someone from entering. "Fences were built to keep out migrants." |
leave behind | To abandon or depart from something. "Migrants leave behind homes and histories." |
learn from | To gain knowledge through experience. "We must learn from the journeys of migrants." |
listen to | To give attention to someone speaking. "Societies must listen to migrants' voices." |
live up to | To meet expectations or ideals. "We must live up to our human rights values." |
lump together | To unfairly group different people together. "Long-term residents were lumped together with newcomers." |
make room for | To create space or opportunity for something. "Inclusive societies make room for diversity." |
miss out on | To lose the chance to experience something. "Many migrant children miss out on education." |
move away | To leave or relocate. "Families moved away from unsafe regions." |
move out | To leave a residence. "Communities were moved out to create new borders." |
open up | To create opportunities or access. "Globalization opened up new migration routes." |
pave the way | To prepare for something positive to happen. "International agreements can pave the way for better integration." |
play into | To exploit or reinforce an idea or fear. "Political speeches often play into fears about migration." |
point out | To highlight or call attention to something. "They pointed out cultural differences as obstacles." |
push aside | To ignore or dismiss something. "Immigrant contributions are often pushed aside." |
put up | To build or erect something. "Governments put up barriers to stop migration." |
rally support | To gather support from people. "Populists rally support by blaming migrants." |
reach out | To attempt to communicate or offer help. "Communities must reach out to new arrivals." |
run away | To escape from danger. "Many refugees had to run away overnight." |
set off | To start a journey. "Families set off across the desert seeking safety." |
shift attention away from | To divert focus from something. "Leaders shift attention away from internal issues by blaming immigration." |
shut out | To exclude someone from participation. "Rigid borders shut out refugees seeking safety." |
split up | To separate people or groups. "Families are often split up by migration policies." |
stand up for | To defend something or someone publicly. "We must stand up for inclusive societies." |
step into | To enter a new situation or role. "Migrants step into new cultural landscapes." |
stir up | To provoke strong feelings. "Fear of migrants can stir up social unrest." |
take in | To accept or receive people. "Some countries take in thousands of refugees each year." |
tone down | To soften or moderate something. "Migrants often tone down their cultural expressions." |
turn away from | To refuse or reject someone. "Some countries turn away migrants at the border." |
wear down | To gradually weaken someone. "The journey wears down migrants physically and mentally." |