20+ Medical Phrasal Verbs You NEED to Know!
Today, we’re diving into medical phrasal verbs—super useful for doctor visits, emergencies, and everyday health conversations.
As a patient, healthcare worker, or someone who wants to expand your vocabulary, these phrases will definitely come in handy in your daily conversations.
1. Phrasal Verbs for Symptoms & Illness
come down with → to start feeling sick
Alice: Hey, you don’t look so good today. Are you feeling okay?
John: I don’t know… I think I’m coming down with a cold. I’ve got a sore throat and a bit of a runny nose.
Alice: Oh no! You should rest and drink plenty of water. Hopefully, it won’t get any worse!
John: Thanks, I’ll try. I really don’t want to be sick!
break out (in) → to develop a skin reaction
Tom: How’s Sarah feeling today?
Emily: Not great, actually. She broke out in a rash after eating peanuts.
Tom: Oh no! Is she allergic to peanuts?
Emily: Yeah, she didn’t realize it until now. We had to take her to the doctor.
Tom: Poor thing. I hope it clears up soon!
Emily: Me too. The doctor gave her some medicine to help with the rash.
Get Serious About Learning English!
Get Ready for Your Next Trip, Business Meeting, or Exam! With native-speaker videos, flexible 24/7 learning, and tools to sharpen your listening and pronunciation skills, you’ll be fully prepared for any situation—whether it’s travel, work, or advancing your career in a foreign language!
throw up → to vomit
Sarah: How’s Mark feeling now?
James: Not great. He threw up after eating some spoiled food for lunch.
Sarah: Oh no! Is he okay now?
James: He’s resting, but I think he’ll be fine after some sleep.
In this video, Haley (all the way from the U.S.) will guide you through some of the most useful medical phrasal verbs you’ll need for doctor visits, health conversations, and more.
pass out → to faint
Emma: What happened to Laura yesterday?
Tom: She passed out from dehydration after being in the sun too long.
Emma: That’s scary! Is she alright now?
Tom: Yeah, she’s doing better now, she just needs to drink more water.
black out → to lose consciousness
David: How did Steve end up at the hospital?
Claire: He blacked out after hitting his head on the door.
David: That sounds serious! Is he okay?
Claire: He’s fine now, but they kept him for observation.
feel up to → to feel well enough to do something
Laura: Why aren’t you at work today?
Jane: I don’t feel up to going in. I think I’m coming down with a cold.
Laura: You should rest. I hope you feel better soon!
Jane: Thanks, I’m going to sleep it off today.
run down → to feel extremely tired or weak
Jake: You don’t look so good. Are you feeling okay?
Mike: Honestly, I’ve been feeling really run down lately.
Jake: Maybe you need more rest. Have you been getting enough sleep?
Mike: Not really, I’ve been working too much.
2. Phrasal Verbs for Medical Treatment & Recovery
come around → to regain consciousness
Nurse: The surgery went well, and the patient came around after a few minutes.
Doctor: That’s good to hear. How is he now?
Nurse: He’s awake and stable, resting in his room.
fight off → to recover by resisting an illness
Katie: Why aren’t you at work today?
Tom: My body’s fighting off an infection. I’m just taking it easy today.
Katie: Rest up! I hope you feel better soon.
get over → to recover from an illness
Maria: Are you feeling better after being sick?
John: Yeah, it took me a week to get over the flu, but I’m finally back to normal.
Maria: That’s great! Glad to hear you’re doing better.
Speak with Confidence!
With native-speaker videos and interactive exercises, you’ll master real-world language skills faster and more effectively. Our immersive content helps you gain fluency, improve your pronunciation, and feel confident in any conversation!
heal up → to recover from an injury
Doctor: The cut is deep, but with proper care, it should heal up in a few weeks.
Patient: How long will it take for it to be fully healed?
Doctor: It should take approximately 2 to 3 weeks for the wound to heal completely if you follow the care instructions carefully. You’ll need to keep it clean and avoid putting pressure on it. We’ll check on your progress during your follow-up appointment to make sure everything is healing as it should.
patch up → to treat minor injuries temporarily
Rachel: How did Dave’s appointment go?
Jack: The nurse patched up his wound before sending him home. It wasn’t serious.
Rachel: That’s good! I’m glad it wasn’t anything too bad.
pull through → to survive a serious illness or accident
Sam: I heard Mark was in the hospital. Is he okay?
Maggie: Yeah, the doctors weren’t sure if he would make it, but he pulled through.
Sam: That’s a relief! I’m glad he’s doing better.
look after → to take care of someone
George: Why isn’t Maria at work today?
Sophie: She’s looking after her sick mother at home.
George: I hope her mom gets better soon.
3. Phrasal Verbs for Medical Procedures & Tests
check up on → to monitor someone’s health
Patient: How often will I need to come in for check-ups?
Doctor: I’ll check up on you next week to see how you’re doing.
Patient: Okay, I’ll be here.
check out → to examine a patient
Nurse: You have some swelling in your arm. Let me check out that area.
Patient: I bumped it pretty hard.
Nurse: We’ll take a closer look and make sure everything is okay.
fill out → to complete medical forms
Receptionist: Before your appointment, please fill out this form.
Patient: Sure, I’ll get that done right now.
Receptionist: Thank you! It’ll just take a few minutes.
give up → to stop an unhealthy habit
Doctor: Your health is at risk. You should give up smoking.
Patient: I know, I’ve been trying to quit.
Doctor: It’ll make a big difference in the long run.
pass away → a softer way to say “die”
Lena: Have you heard about Peter?
Adam: Yes, sadly, his grandfather passed away last night.
Lena: Oh, that’s so sad. My condolences to him and his family.
put on (weight) → to gain weight
Sarah: How’s your diet going?
Chris: I put on some weight during the holidays, but I’m getting back on track now.
Sarah: It happens! Just get back to your routine.
work out → to exercise
Jake: You look like you’ve been working out.
Sophie: I have! I need to work out more to stay healthy.
Jake: That’s great! I should join you sometime.
cut down on → to reduce something (especially unhealthy habits)
Doctor: I suggest you cut down on sugar if you want to improve your health.
Patient: I know. I’ve been eating a lot of sweets lately.
Doctor: It’ll help with your energy and overall well-being.
That’s a wrap!
Did you enjoy the dialogues? They’ll help you learn English naturally, making it easier to speak confidently at the doctor’s office or with patients. Try using these medical phrasal verbs occasionally. You’ll sound more natural, and you’ll be better prepared for more advanced levels of English.
Discover a New Language Adventure with Our App!
Immerse yourself in a vibrant world of language with our captivating content, featuring talented native speakers, thought-provoking podcasts on contemporary topics, and entertaining videos packed with handy phrases. You won’t just learn a new language; each lesson will feel like a thrilling adventure!
