Phrasal verbs with KEEP are a crucial part of everyday English. They are widely used in conversations, writing, and media, and mastering them will help you sound more natural and fluent. In this article, you’ll find a carefully revised list of common phrasal verbs with KEEP, complete with pronunciation, meanings, examples, and clear grammar notes to help you avoid common mistakes.
With 16 essential phrasal verbs, this comprehensive guide covers everything from maintaining pace to avoiding situations, providing you with the vocabulary needed for effective English communication in professional and personal contexts.
List of Common Phrasal Verbs with KEEP
Here are the most essential phrasal verbs with keep that you’ll encounter in daily conversation and professional communication:
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Keep down
Keep on
Keep out
Keep out of
Keep across
Keep around
Keep at
Keep away
Keep away from
Keep back
Keep from
Keep in
Keep off
Keep to oneself
Keep up
Keep up with
Phrasal Verbs with KEEP: Meaning and Examples
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of each phrasal verb with keep, organized with clear meanings, real-world examples, and essential grammar rules.
Keep down
/kiːp daʊn/transitive-intransitiveseparable
📖 1To control or limit something (noise, numbers, emotions).
Please keep down the noise so we don’t disturb the neighbors.
📖 2To stop yourself from vomiting.
He drank ginger tea to help keep down his nausea.
📖 3To stay low or hidden.
The soldiers were told to keep down to avoid detection.
🔄 Synonyms:ControlSuppressLimit
Keep on
/kiːp ɒn/intransitive-transitiveinseparable
📖 1To continue doing something.
Keep on practicing, and you’ll improve.
📖 2To talk about something repeatedly, often annoyingly.
They were annoyed because she kept on talking about her problems.
📖 3To keep someone in their job.
The company decided to keep on the current manager.
🔄 Synonyms:ContinuePersistRetain
Keep out
/kiːp aʊt/transitiveseparable
📖 To prevent someone or something from entering.
This fence is meant to keep out intruders.
🔄 Synonyms:ExcludeBlockPrevent entry
Keep out of
/kiːp aʊt əv/transitiveinseparable
📖 To avoid a place or situation.
He tries to keep out of trouble.
🔄 Synonyms:AvoidStay away fromSteer clear of
Keep across
/kiːp əˈkrɒs/transitiveinseparable
📖 To stay informed about something (mainly Australian English).
She tries to keep across the latest company news.
🔄 Synonyms:Stay on top ofKeep track ofMonitor
The first five phrasal verbs with keep establish fundamental meanings around control, continuation, and avoidance. “Keep down” expresses limitation and suppression, while “keep on” emphasizes persistence. The two-word combinations “keep out” and “keep out of” differentiate between preventing entry and avoiding situations, while “keep across” provides regional English vocabulary for staying informed—a particularly useful expression in Australian and international business contexts.
Keep around
/kiːp əˈraʊnd/transitiveseparable
📖 To have someone or something nearby.
I like to keep around a notebook for ideas.
🔄 Synonyms:RetainHave nearbyKeep close
Keep at
/kiːp æt/intransitiveinseparable
📖 To continue working hard at something.
If you keep at it, you’ll succeed.
🔄 Synonyms:PersistCarry onPersevere
Keep away
/kiːp əˈweɪ/intransitiveinseparable
📖 To stay at a distance.
Keep away from the edge of the cliff.
🔄 Synonyms:AvoidStay backRemain distant
Keep away from
/kiːp əˈweɪ frɒm/transitiveinseparable
📖 To avoid someone or something.
Parents try to keep children away from danger.
🔄 Synonyms:AvoidSteer clear ofKeep clear of
Keep back
/kiːp bæk/intransitive-transitiveseparable
📖 To stay at a safe distance or hold something back.
Please keep back from the edge.
🔄 Synonyms:Hold backStay backRefrain
The second group of five phrasal verbs (entries 6-10) emphasizes distance, avoidance, and personal restraint. “Keep around” expresses retention and proximity, while “keep at,” “keep away,” and “keep away from” focus on persistence and physical or social distance. “Keep back” serves a dual function—either maintaining physical separation or withholding information or emotions. These verbs share a common theme of managing boundaries and maintaining control over situations and relationships.
The third group of phrasal verbs (entries 11-15) explores control, restriction, and information management. “Keep from” and “keep in” express prevention and detention, while “keep off” emphasizes avoidance of contact. “Keep to oneself” describes social withdrawal and privacy, and “keep up” returns to the theme of maintaining pace and staying informed. Together, these expressions show how “keep” can express both physical actions and abstract concepts related to behavior and awareness.
Keep up with
/kiːp ʌp wɪð/transitiveinseparable
📖 To move or progress at the same speed as someone or something.
It’s hard to keep up with new technology.
🔄 Synonyms:MatchKeep pace withStay current
Common Mistakes with Phrasal Verbs with KEEP
Learners often confuse similar phrasal verbs with keep. Here are three common mistakes and how to correct them:
❌ Wrong“I need to keep across the budget.” (In American English, this phrasing is unusual)
✅ Correct“I need to stay on top of the budget.” (In American English, this is preferred; “keep across” is Australian English)
❌ Wrong“She kept the information to herself private.” (Mixing expressions and adding unnecessary words)
✅ Correct“She kept the information to herself.” (Correct—the phrase itself expresses privacy)
❌ Wrong“I can keep up my pace with you.” (Awkward phrasing with “my pace”)
✅ Correct“I can keep up with you.” (Correct—”keep up with” compares two people or things)
Key Grammar Notes
Dialogue Example with Phrasal Verbs with KEEP
💬 Workplace Stress and Boundaries
A
You seem stressed lately. What’s going on?
B
I’m trying to keep up with my workload, but it’s exhausting.
A
Have you tried to keep out of unnecessary meetings?
B
That’s hard. I also try to keep away from office drama.
A
That’s smart. It helps you keep down your stress levels.
B
True. I just wish I could keep on doing my work without interruptions.
In this dialogue, several phrasal verbs with “keep” are used naturally in workplace conversation to discuss workload management, boundary-setting, and stress reduction.
Learning phrasal verbs in context is a great way to build fluency. To continue your journey toward sounding more like a native speaker, explore these related lessons:
