Learning Phrasal Verbs Starts with “Call” helps improve everyday English vocabulary and fluency. Common examples include call off (to cancel), call back (to return a phone call), and call out (to shout or challenge). Additionally, phrases like call on (to visit or ask someone to speak) and call up (to phone someone or recall a memory) are frequently used in conversations. Whether you’re a student or English learner, mastering these useful “call” phrasal verbs supports clearer, more confident, and natural communication.
List of Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are formed by combining a verb with a preposition or adverb, creating a new meaning. Common examples include give up (to quit), call off (to cancel), look after (to take care of), bring up (to mention), and run out (to have no more left). These expressions are often used in everyday English conversations.
Call off:
- Meaning: to cancel something.
- Example: They had to call off the concert due to bad weather.
Call on:
- Meaning: to ask someone to speak or participate.
- Example: The teacher called on Sarah to read aloud from the textbook.
Call up:
- Meaning: to phone someone.
- Example: I’ll call up my mom to let her know I’ll be late for dinner.
Call out:
- Meaning: to publicly criticize.
- Example: The politician called out his opponent for spreading false information.
Call for:
- Meaning: to demand or require.
- Example: The situation calls for immediate action to prevent further damage.
Call in:
- Meaning: to ask someone to come or report for duty
- Example: The manager called in all employees for a last-minute meeting.
Call back:
- Meaning: to return a phone call.
- Example: I missed her call, so I need to call her back as soon as possible.
Call off (from work):
- Meaning: to inform an employer of absence.
- Example: I’m feeling unwell, so I have to call off work today.
Call off (a search):
- Meaning: to stop searching for something.
- Example: The authorities called off the search after finding the missing hiker.
Call down:
- Meaning: to reprimand or criticize someone.
- Example: The teacher called down the students for talking during the exam.
Call at:
- Meaning: to visit a place briefly.
- Example: I’ll call the store to pick up some groceries on my way home.
Call in on:
- Meaning: to visit someone briefly.
- Example: We called in on our neighbors to see how they were doing.
Call off (a meeting):
- Meaning: to cancel a meeting.
- Example: They had to call off the meeting because most attendees were unavailable.
Call in sick:
- Meaning: to inform an employer of illness.
- Example: I can’t come to work today because I need to call in sick.
Call on (an ability):
- Meaning: to use a skill or talent.
- Example: She called on her years of experience to solve the problem.
Call through:
- Meaning: to connect a phone call.
- Example: The receptionist called me through to the CEO’s office.
Call around:
- Meaning: to visit multiple places or people.
- Example: We called around to different shops looking for the best price.
Call out for:
- Meaning: to demand loudly.
- Example: The protesters called out for justice in the streets.
Call upon (a resource):
- Meaning: to utilize something.
- Example: In times of crisis, we often call upon our reserves of strength and resilience.
Call around (for help):
- Meaning: to seek assistance from multiple sources.
- Example: When their car broke down, they had to call around for help.
Call on (a promise):
- Meaning: to request fulfillment of a promise.
- Example: We called on the government to deliver on their campaign promises.
Call off (an engagement):
- Meaning: to end a planned activity.
- Example: They had to call off the wedding due to family disagreements.
Call off (a bet):
- Meaning: to cancel a wager.
- Example: They called off the bet when they realized they both misunderstood the terms.
Call out (a name):
- Meaning: to speak a name loudly.
- Example: The teacher called out the names of students who had not submitted their homework.
Call up (a memory):
- Meaning: to recall something from memory.
- Example: The smell of fresh-baked cookies always calls up memories of my grandmother’s kitchen.
Call off (a dog):
- Meaning: to restrain a dog from attacking.
- Example: The owner called off the dog before it could chase the squirrel.
Call down (a curse):
- Meaning: to invoke a curse upon someone.
- Example: Some believed the old witch could call down curses on her enemies.
Call on (a feeling):
- Meaning: to evoke a particular emotion.
- Example: The movie’s poignant ending called on feelings of nostalgia and longing.
Call in (a favor):
- Meaning: to request assistance or support.
- Example: He had to call in a favor from his friend to get tickets to the sold-out concert.
Call off (a strike):
- Meaning: to end a workers’ strike.
- Example: After reaching an agreement with management, the union decided to call off the strike.
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