Learn 10 Useful English Phrasal Verbs with “WITH”

YouTube video
 

Phrasal Verbs in Conversation Course

#1 – come up with = create, invent

We usually come up with new ideas, plans, inventions, etc.

After we came up with a brilliant new marketing plan, the company’s sales increased.

Do you ever find it hard to come up with ideas for your articles?

#2 – deal with = handle, take action in a situation

We often use the phrasal verb deal with when handling problems or challenges:

I know the microwave is broken. I’ll deal with that later.

He tries to avoid his problems instead of dealing with them.

Another meaning for deal with is to address an issue, to be about a topic. This is often used when talking about the themes of movies or books:

The film deals with issues of self-esteem and social acceptance.

#3 – get along with = have a good and pleasant relationship with another person

get along with all my co-workers. It’s a great place to work.

We can also use the negative form, not get along with, to describe having a bad or difficult relationship with another person.

don’t get along with my youngest sister; she loves drama and is always starting fights.

#4 – get away with = escape consequences/punishment from a bad action

If you get away with something, it means you do something bad, but nobody punishes you for the bad action. For example, if you steal something from a store, but nobody catches you, punishes you, or makes you give the item back, then you have gotten away with it.

There wasn’t enough evidence to convict the criminal, so he got away with it.

You shouldn’t cheat on your exams – you’ll never get away with it. The teacher will definitely find out.

#5 – hit it off with = immediately have a great social connection with a person

If you hit it off with someone, it means both you and the other person really like each other from the first moment you meet. You find it easy and enjoyable to talk to each other.

I really hit it off with Peter – we spent all afternoon chatting about sports.

#6 – mess with = bother or interfere with someone/something

This phrasal verb can be used in a few different ways, and it usually has a negative connotation. It can be used for physically touching an object and interfering with the item:

Hey, stop messing with my camera – that’s expensive equipment, and you don’t know how to use it.

Mess with can also refer to something that is not physical – such as an emotion, a trend, etc. – that has a negative effect on something else:

All these new regulations are messing with the economy and preventing growth.

My anxieties really mess with me and make me lose confidence.

If you mess with a person, it means you bother/annoy them or do something to them that might start an argument or fight:

Don’t mess with me, man, or you’ll be sorry.
(this is like a threat – it’s saying “don’t bother/annoy me or else you will regret it”)

#7 – put up with = tolerate something that is annoying or difficult to tolerate

If you put up with an annoying person or situation, it means you tolerate it even though it’s difficult:

New York City is such a great place that I can put up with the high cost of living here.

When you get married, you have to put up with your spouse’s imperfections.

#8 – side with = support and agree with someone on one side of an argument

When there’s an argument or conflict, there are often two (or more) “sides” – points of view. If you side with someone, it means you support him/her on one particular “side” of the conflict.

Every time my family gets into an argument, my parents always side with my brother instead of me.

#9 – sleep with = have sex with someone

It is possible for sleep with to mean simply sharing a bed with someone – this is usually obvious from the context, such as a dog sleeping with its owner in the same bed, or two children sleeping together in the same bed.

However, when used among adults, sleep with is often an indirect way to describe having sex:

Barbara divorced her husband after discovering he was sleeping with his secretary.

How many people have you slept with?
(this is asking about number of previous sexual partners)

#10 – stick with = continue to be dedicated to / involved with an activity

If you stick with something, it means you continue doing it persistently, you don’t stop:

Learning English can be hard, but if you stick with it, you’ll make progress!

I’m so glad I stuck with my piano lessons because now I can play really well.

Learn more: 10 English Phrasal Verbs with COME

Learn Phrasal Verbs the Natural Way – in English Conversations!

Learn 10 Useful English Phrasal Verbs with "WITH" Espresso English

Learn more about the Phrasal Verbs Course