Learn English Phrasal Verbs:Put
Put combines with a small set of particles to talk about delaying, wearing, storing, and tolerating.
Not sure when the object goes in the middle? Read separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
put aside
leave until later
I’ll put aside the invoices until Friday.
I’ll leave the invoices until Friday.
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put away
return to their place
Please put away your books after class.
Please return your books to their place after class.
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put back
return
She put the book back on the shelf.
She returned the book to the shelf.
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put down
place on a surface
He put down the box on the floor so he could open the door.
He placed the box on the floor so he could open the door.
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put forward
present
The manager put forward a new plan in the meeting.
The manager presented a new plan in the meeting.
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put in
spend
They put in extra hours to finish the project.
They spent extra hours to finish the project.
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put off
postpone
We had to put off the trip because of the storm.
We had to postpone the trip because of the storm.
Postpone, not cancel. Put it off until Friday.
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put on
make a device start working
She puts on the radio while she cooks.
She switches on the radio while she cooks.
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put out
stop a fire from burning
The firefighters put out the fire.
The firefighters extinguished the fire.
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put through
connect
The receptionist put the call through to the manager.
The receptionist connected the call to the manager.
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put up
increase
The shop put up the price of bread yesterday.
The shop increased the price of bread yesterday.
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put up with
accept something unpleasant
I can’t put up with that noise while I work.
I can’t tolerate that noise while I work.
Three-word and inseparable. Put up with it, never put it up with.
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All 12 put 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 |
|---|---|---|
| put aside | leave until later | Separable |
| put away | return to their place | Separable |
| put back | return | Separable |
| put down | place on a surface | Separable |
| put forward | present | Separable |
| put in | spend | Separable |
| put off | postpone | Separable |
| put on | make a device start working | Separable |
| put out | stop a fire from burning | Separable |
| put through | connect | Separable |
| put up | increase | Separable |
| put up with | accept something unpleasant | Inseparable |
About this set
This page is for learners who already meet put off and put on in topic packs and want the verb family in one place.
Put up with is the three-word item to watch: the meaning is tolerate, and the words stay together.
Usage notes
- put off. Separable. Put off a meeting means postpone it. Put someone off can also mean discourage them, which is not the meaning practised here.
- put on. Separable, and the meaning depends on the object: put on a coat, put on weight, put on a show.
- put up with. Inseparable. Put up with noise means tolerate it. Put someone up (without with) means give them a bed for the night.
- put out. Separable for extinguish: put the fire out. Other meanings exist; this pack keeps the common physical one.
Mistakes to avoid
Incorrect: I cannot put it up with any longer.
Correct: I cannot put up with it any longer.
Put up with has two particles, so nothing goes between them, not even a pronoun.
Incorrect: The match was put off, so it will not happen at all.
Correct: The match was called off, so it will not happen at all.
Put off moves something later. Cancelling outright is call off.
Incorrect: Can you put through me to the sales team?
Correct: Can you put me through to the sales team?
Put through is separable and the person goes in the middle.
Incorrect: They put up it again in June.
Correct: They put it up again in June.
Put up is separable, so a pronoun cannot follow the particle.
Common questions
Is put up the same as put up with?
No. Put up can mean let someone stay (put a friend up) or raise something. Put up with means tolerate. The extra with changes the meaning.
Why do learners write put off it?
With a pronoun, the particle comes last: put it off, not put off it. The same pattern applies to put on, put away, and put out.