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ACT English and World Knowledge - Abstract Phrasal Verbs

Here you will learn some abstract English phrasal verbs, such as "spell out", "pick on", "hush up", etc. that will help you ace your ACTs.

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ACT Vocabulary for English and World Knowledge
to make up

to create something by combining together different parts or ingredients

Ex: The musician made up the band from different musicians .
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to bring about

to be the reason for a specific incident or result

Ex: The new law brought about positive changes in the community .
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to account for

to provide explanations or reasons for a particular situation or set of circumstances

Ex: It 's important to account for the factors that led to the project 's delay .
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to stand out

to be prominent and easily noticeable

Ex: Her colorful dress made her stand out in the crowd of people wearing neutral tones .
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to revolve around

to focus on something or someone as the primary subject or point of interest

Ex: This debate will revolve around the key issues of healthcare and education .
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to spell out

to clearly and explicitly explain something

Ex: The report spelled out the reasons for the company 's decline , providing a detailed analysis of the contributing factors .
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to turn out

to emerge as a particular outcome

Ex: Despite their initial concerns, the project turned out to be completed on time and under budget.
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to fit in
to fit in
[Verb]

to be socially fit for or belong within a particular group or environment

Ex: Over time , he learned to fit in with the local traditions and lifestyle .
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to add up to

to bring about a specific result

Ex: The diverse skills of the team members will add up to a well-rounded and successful project outcome.
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to stick out

to be easily noticed, often due to being different from the surrounding elements

Ex: The brightly colored hair of the teenager made her stick out in the conservative school environment .
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to swear in

to officially induct someone into a position or office, typically involving an oath

Ex: The judge swore in the witness before they began their testimony in court .
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to draw on

to use information, knowledge, or past experience to aid in performing a task or achieving a goal

Ex: During the exam , students were encouraged to draw on their knowledge of the subject matter .
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to usher in

to indicate that something is about to happen

Ex: The breaking news on the television ushered in a sense of urgency and concern.
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to close out

to conclude by selling off or getting rid of remaining items or assets

Ex: The team closed out the season with a final win against their rivals .
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to pick on

to keep treating someone unfairly or making unfair remarks about them

Ex: Some kids in the park were picking on a new child , and I had to intervene .
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to take off

to become famous and successful in a sudden and rapid manner

Ex: Her viral video helped her take the internet by storm and take off as an online sensation .
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to cancel out

to make something ineffective

Ex: Unfortunately , the positive test results will not cancel out the negative ones .
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to accord with

to agree with or correspond to something

Ex: The architect's plans accord with the local zoning regulations.
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to mark down

to record or note something for future reference or action

Ex: The manager marked down the customer 's complaint for further investigation .
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to smooth over

to make a situation or relationship less tense by calming emotions, resolving conflicts, etc.

Ex: He attempted to smooth over the dispute between his colleagues by facilitating a constructive dialogue .
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to pick up

to acquire a new skill or language through practice and application rather than formal instruction

Ex: Many immigrants pick up the local dialect just by conversing with neighbors .
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to fade away

(of a person) to slowly become thin and lose strength, particularly to the point of death

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to identify as

to define oneself as belonging to a particular category, group, or label

Ex: Many Indigenous peoples identify as Two-Spirit , embracing both masculine and feminine qualities within themselves .
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to freak out

to become extremely upset, agitated, or overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, or excitement

Ex: I freaked out when I realized I had forgotten about the important meeting.
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to zero in on

to concentrate closely on a particular matter

Ex: I zeroed in on the critical aspects of the project to ensure its success.
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to build up

to make something available or usable for a different purpose

Ex: The company is building up its online presence through social media .
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to make out

to understand something, often with effort

Ex: I could not make out what he meant by his comment .
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to phase out

to gradually stop using, producing, or providing something

Ex: The manufacturer decided to phase the product out due to decreasing sales.
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to pan out

to succeed or come to a favorable outcome

Ex: We had a lot of doubts at the start , but the project panned out better than we expected .
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to put forth

to present, propose, or offer something for consideration or action

Ex: The research team put forth a groundbreaking theory that challenged existing scientific beliefs .
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to stamp out

to forcefully end something, often a negative or undesirable situation

Ex: Educational initiatives are crucial to stamp out illiteracy and provide equal learning opportunities for everyone .
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to rack up

to accumulate or obtain something notable, such as victories, accomplishments, or records

Ex: The company aims to attain significant market share with its new product launch.
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to rumble on

(of a situation or issue) to continue for a long period of time without resolution

Ex: The family feud has rumbled on for years , causing tension and division among relatives .
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to tap into

to access or make use of a resource or source of information

Ex: During the workshop , participants were encouraged to tap into their personal experiences to contribute diverse perspectives to the discussion .
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to set about

to start a task, action, or process with determination and inspiration

Ex: The team set about solving the technical issues that had arisen during the project.
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to stumble on

to find something or someone unexpectedly

Ex: While browsing online , I stumbled on an insightful TED Talk about productivity .
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to stand up for

to defend or support someone or something

Ex: The team captain stood up for their teammates when they faced unfair criticism .
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to single out

to focus on a particular person or thing from a group in either a positive or negative manner

Ex: In the team meeting , the manager made it a point to single out Sarah for her outstanding leadership during the project .
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to hush up

to cause someone or something to be quiet

Ex: The conductor hushed up the orchestra before the concert began .
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to bowl over

to completely impress someone

Ex: His performance in the play truly bowled over the entire audience .
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to allow for

to consider a particular factor when planning or making arrangements

Ex: The budget should allow for unexpected expenses that may arise during the project .
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to hinge on

(of an outcome, decision, or situation) to depend entirely on a particular factor or set of circumstances

Ex: The success of the event will hinge on the weather cooperating for the outdoor activities .
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to take up

to occupy a particular amount of space or time

Ex: The painting takes up a considerable amount of wall space .
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to rule out

to eliminate an option or idea from consideration due to it appearing impossible to realize

Ex: The detective couldn't rule any suspects out until further investigation.
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to clear up

to explain or resolve confusion, making something easier to understand or less ambiguous

Ex: I hope this diagram will clear up how the process works .
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to reach out

to contact someone to get assistance or help

Ex: She reached out to a career counselor for guidance on job opportunities.
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to conjure up

to bring forth something, often from the realm of imagination, as if by enchantment

Ex: As the story unfolded , the author conjured up a magical world filled with wonder .
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to summon up

to bring forth a memory or image, causing one to remember or think about something

Ex: She summoned the image of the old house up by describing it in vivid detail.
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to stave off

to delay the occurrence of something undesirable or threatening

Ex: Diplomatic negotiations were initiated to stave off the possibility of a military conflict between the two nations .
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