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.
Not sure when the object goes in the middle? Read separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
bump into
meet by chance
I bumped into an old friend at the clinic.
I met an old friend by chance at the clinic.
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take after
be similar to a family member
She takes after her mother in both looks and personality.
She resembles her mother in both looks and personality.
A preposition, so it never splits. She takes after her mother.
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run-down
tired and unwell
After several nights of working late, I feel run down today.
After several nights of working late, I feel tired and unwell today.
Run-down means tired and unwell here. It is an adjective after feel, not an intransitive verb. Run someone down is a different construction.
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get over
recover from an illness
He finally got over the flu and returned to work.
He finally recovered from the flu and returned to work.
Inseparable here: get over a cold, get over it. Never get it over.
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come down with
catch
I think I’m coming down with a cold.
I think I’m catching a cold.
Three-word and inseparable. You come down with flu, never come flu down with.
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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.
A gentle way to say die. Not to be confused with pass out, which means faint.
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pass out
lose consciousness briefly
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
become conscious again
After a few minutes, he came around.
After a few minutes, he regained consciousness.
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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.
The to is a preposition, so an -ing form follows: look forward to hearing from you.
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All 10 health phrasal verbs at a glance
Separable means the object can sit in the middle, and a pronoun has to. Inseparable means it never can. No object means the verb does not take one. Full explanation here.
| Phrasal verb | Meaning | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| bump into | meet by chance | Inseparable, informal |
| take after | be similar to a family member | Inseparable |
| run-down | tired and unwell | Adjective |
| get over | recover from an illness | Inseparable |
| come down with | catch | Inseparable |
| wrap up | wear warm clothes | No object |
| pass away | die | No object |
| pass out | lose consciousness briefly | No object |
| come around | become conscious again | No object |
| look forward to | be excited about | Inseparable |
About this set
The pack combines expressions for illness and recovery with small talk around family and appointments. Run-down is a related adjective, not a phrasal verb.
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).
Mistakes to avoid
Incorrect: It took her a week to get it over.
Correct: It took her a week to get over it.
Get over is inseparable, so the object stays after the particle.
Incorrect: He came down the flu last week.
Correct: He came down with the flu last week.
Come down with is a three-word verb and the with is required.
Incorrect: Her grandfather passed out last year after a long illness.
Correct: Her grandfather passed away last year after a long illness.
Pass away is a gentle way to say die. Pass out means faint, which is a very different message to send.
Incorrect: I look forward to hear from the clinic.
Correct: I look forward to hearing from the clinic.
The to in look forward to is a preposition, so an -ing form follows it.
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.