Phrasal verbs combine verbs with prepositions or adverbs to create expressions with meanings that often differ from the original verb. The preposition “by” adds particular nuances to verbs, often relating to means, method, proximity, or the passage of time.
This comprehensive list of 100 phrasal verbs with “by” will enhance your English vocabulary and help you communicate more naturally and precisely.
1-10: Movement and passing
Go by
To pass or elapse (often referring to time).
“The weeks went by quickly during summer vacation.”
Pass by
To move past something or someone.
“She passed by the store without stopping.”
Drive by
To pass a place while driving.
“We drove by the old house where I grew up.”
Walk by
To pass on foot.
“He walked by without recognizing me.”
Run by
To pass while running.
“The children ran by the playground on their way to school.”
Fly by
To pass quickly through the air; also means time passing quickly.
“The birds flew by the window.”
“The years just flew by.”
Cruise by
To pass leisurely in a vehicle.
“We cruised by the beach admiring the sunset.”
Roll by
To move past by rolling.
“The wheels of the train rolled by slowly.”
Slip by
To pass quietly or unnoticed.
“The thief slipped by the security guard.”
Rush by
To pass in a hurry.
“The executive rushed by her assistant without stopping.”
11-20: Time and occurrence
Come by
To acquire or obtain something.
“How did you come by this rare book?”
Get by
To manage with difficulty but adequately.
“We’re just getting by on one income.”
Live by
To follow a principle or rule as a guide.
“She lives by the motto ‘work hard, play hard.'”
Swear by
To express great confidence in something.
“My grandmother swears by this remedy for colds.”
Stand by
To be ready and available; to remain loyal to someone.
“The rescue team stands by in case of emergency.”
“I’ll stand by you through difficult times.”
Abide by
To comply with rules or decisions.
“All students must abide by the school regulations.”
Learn by
To acquire knowledge through a specific method.
“Children often learn by imitating adults.”
Judge by
To form an opinion based on certain criteria.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Measure by
To evaluate according to specific standards.
“Success shouldn’t only be measured by financial gain.”
Set by
To put aside for future use.
“She sets money by each month for retirement.”
21-30: Proximity and location
Sit by
To be seated next to someone or something.
“She sat by the window watching the rain.”
Stay by
To remain close to someone or something.
“The loyal dog stayed by his owner’s side.”
Lay by
To put aside or save.
“He laid some food by for the winter months.”
Place by
To position next to something.
“Place the fork by the knife on the table.”
Stand by
To be positioned near something.
“He stood by the entrance greeting guests.”
Hang by
To be suspended from or next to.
“The picture hangs by the window.”
Rest by
To take a break near something.
“We rested by the lake during our hike.”
Settle by
To establish oneself near.
“Many immigrants settled by the coast.”
Camp by
To set up temporary lodging near.
“We camped by the river for two nights.”
Position by
To place strategically next to something.
“The security guard positioned himself by the door.”
31-40: Communication and processing
Stop by
To visit briefly.
“I’ll stop by your office this afternoon.”
Drop by
To visit without prior arrangement.
“Feel free to drop by anytime.”
Pop by
To visit briefly and casually.
“I just popped by to return your book.”
Run by
To present something for approval or opinion.
“Let me run this idea by you.”
Call by
To visit or telephone.
“I’ll call by tomorrow to check on you.”
Shoot by
To send quickly (often electronically).
“Shoot the document by me before you send it to the client.”
Swing by
To visit briefly while on the way somewhere else.
“I’ll swing by the store on my way home.”
Put by
To save or reserve for future use.
“She puts a little money by each month.”
Communicate by
To convey information through a specific means.
“They communicated by email while she was abroad.”
Process by
To handle according to a specific method.
“The applications are processed by the HR department.”
41-50: Achievement and method
Lead by
To guide through example.
“Good managers lead by example.”
Win by
To achieve victory through a specific margin or method.
“The team won by two points in the final seconds.”
Lose by
To be defeated by a specific margin.
“They lost by only one goal.”
Succeed by
To accomplish through a specific approach.
“She succeeded by working harder than everyone else.”
Fail by
To be unsuccessful due to a specific reason.
“The project failed by not meeting the deadline.”
Improve by
To enhance through a specific means.
“You can improve by practicing daily.”
Progress by
To advance using a certain method.
“Students progress by completing increasingly difficult exercises.”
Benefit by
To gain advantage through something.
“The community benefited by his generous donation.”
Profit by
To gain from a situation or experience.
“She profited by the mistakes of others.”
Excel by
To surpass others through specific means.
“He excels by putting in extra hours of study.”
51-60: Creation and production
Create by
To make something using a specific method.
“This artwork was created by using only recycled materials.”
Build by
To construct through certain means.
“The house was built by using traditional techniques.”
Design by
To plan or create according to specific principles.
“The software was designed by focusing on user experience.”
Produce by
To make or manufacture using a particular process.
“These chocolates are produced by hand.”
Develop by
To grow or improve through a specific approach.
“The app was developed by responding to user feedback.”
Make by
To create using certain materials or methods.
“This dress was made by using silk from India.”
Compose by
To create writing or music following a specific style.
“The song was composed by combining classical and modern elements.”
Generate by
To produce through a particular process.
“The electricity is generated by solar panels.”
Craft by
To make skillfully using particular techniques.
“These shoes are crafted by hand using traditional methods.”
Form by
To create through a specific process.
“Mountains are formed by tectonic activity.”
61-70: Understanding and learning
Learn by
To acquire knowledge through a specific method.
“She learns best by doing rather than reading.”
Understand by
To comprehend through a specific example or explanation.
“I understand the concept better by seeing concrete examples.”
Study by
To gain knowledge using a particular approach.
“He studies by making detailed notes.”
Remember by
To recall through association or technique.
“I remember people’s names by associating them with something familiar.”
Know by
To recognize through certain characteristics.
“You’ll know the ripe fruit by its color.”
Identify by
To recognize through specific features.
“Birds can be identified by their distinctive songs.”
Distinguish by
To recognize differences through certain qualities.
“You can distinguish the genuine article by checking these specific marks.”
Recognize by
To identify through familiarity.
“I recognized him by his voice.”
Interpret by
To understand according to specific context.
“You need to interpret these statistics by considering the economic conditions.”
Analyze by
To examine using particular methods.
“The data was analyzed by breaking it into categories.”
71-80: Rules and organization
Rule by
To govern using a specific approach.
“The king ruled by decree.”
Order by
To arrange according to specific criteria.
“The books are ordered by author’s last name.”
Sort by
To arrange according to type or category.
“The emails are sorted by date received.”
Group by
To organize into categories.
“The students were grouped by ability level.”
Divide by
To separate into parts.
“The profits are divided by percentage of investment.”
Classify by
To categorize according to specific qualities.
“Animals are classified by their physical characteristics.”
Organize by
To arrange systematically.
“The files are organized by project name.”
Arrange by
To put in a certain order.
“The meeting schedule is arranged by priority.”
Regulate by
To control through rules or restrictions.
“The industry is regulated by government agencies.”
Manage by
To handle or direct using a specific approach.
“She manages by delegating responsibilities effectively.”
81-90: Assessment and evaluation
Judge by
To assess based on specific criteria.
“Don’t judge people by their appearance.”
Evaluate by
To determine value through certain standards.
“The proposals will be evaluated by their potential impact.”
Assess by
To appraise using specific measures.
“Student progress is assessed by regular testing.”
Measure by
To determine extent through comparison.
“Success is often measured by financial achievement.”
Rate by
To assign value based on certain criteria.
“Hotels are rated by their facilities and service.”
Rank by
To position in order of performance or quality.
“Universities are ranked by their research output and teaching quality.”
Grade by
To classify according to quality.
“Diamonds are graded by color, clarity, cut, and carat.”
Review by
To examine critically using specific standards.
“The manuscript will be reviewed by experts in the field.”
Test by
To examine through specific challenges.
“The theory was tested by experimental evidence.”
Verify by
To confirm using certain methods.
“The claim was verified by independent research.”
91-100: Miscellaneous uses
Paint by
To create artwork following specific guidelines.
“Children enjoy paint by numbers kits.”
Play by
To follow specific rules in a game.
“Everyone must play by the same rules.”
Work by
To function according to certain principles.
“This machine works by converting heat to energy.”
Operate by
To function through specific means.
“The device operates by voice command.”
Sell by
The recommended last date of sale (often on food products).
“This milk has a sell by date of next Tuesday.”
Swear by
To have great faith in something’s effectiveness.
“My grandmother swears by this herbal remedy.”
Stand by
To maintain support or readiness.
“The ambulance crew stands by during sporting events.”
Come by
To visit casually; to acquire something.
“Feel free to come by for coffee.”
“How did you come by this information?”
Drop by
To visit briefly without appointment.
“I’ll drop by your office later today.”
Live by
To follow principles that guide one’s life.
“These are the values I live by.”
Mastering phrasal verbs with “by” significantly enhances your English fluency and precision. These versatile combinations help express concepts related to movement, time, methods, and much more. Practice incorporating these phrasal verbs into your daily conversations and writing to become more comfortable with their various meanings and applications. Remember that context is key to understanding the specific nuance of each phrasal verb in different situations.
