Learn English Phrasal Verbs:Health
These verbs help you talk about feeling unwell, recovering, and the awkward small talk that happens at a clinic or chemist.
bump into
meet by chance
I bumped into an old friend at the market.
I met an old friend by chance at the market.
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take after
resemble
She takes after her mother in both looks and personality.
She resembles her mother in both looks and personality.
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run down
be tired and unwell
Because of working late yesterday, I feel run down today.
Because of working late yesterday, I feel tired and unwell today.
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get over
recover
He finally got over the flu and returned to work.
He finally recovered from the flu and returned to work.
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come down with
catch
I think I’m coming down with a cold.
I think I’m catching a cold.
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wrap up
wear warm clothes
It’s cold outside; make sure to wrap up before you go out.
It’s cold outside; make sure to wear warm clothes before you go out.
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pass away
die
His grandfather passed away peacefully last night.
His grandfather died peacefully last night.
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pass out
faint
She passed out during the meeting because she felt dizzy.
She fainted during the meeting because she felt dizzy.
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come around
regain consciousness
After a few minutes, he came around and felt better.
After a few minutes, he regained consciousness and felt better.
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look forward to
be excited about
I look forward to visiting my grandparents this weekend.
I am excited about visiting my grandparents this weekend.
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About this set
Use them for colds, tiredness, and recovery — not for technical medical notes.
Two look similar and are easy to mix up: pass out and pass away. The examples keep those meanings apart.
Usage notes
- get over. Inseparable here: get over a cold. It does not take a pronoun between get and over.
- come down with. Three-word and inseparable. You come down with the flu, not come the flu down with.
- look forward to. The to is a preposition, so it is followed by a noun or -ing: look forward to seeing you, not look forward to see you.
- pass away. A polite way to say die. Do not confuse it with pass out (faint).
Common questions
What is the difference between pass out and pass away?
Pass out means faint or lose consciousness for a short time. Pass away means die. Mixing them up can sound shocking, so keep the examples in mind.
Is come down with the same as get over?
They sit at opposite ends of an illness. You come down with a cold when it starts. You get over it when you recover.