16 English Phrasal Verbs With Bring

16 phrasal verbs with ‘bring’ (with example sentences)

1. BRING ABOUT

1. Cause something to happen
   Government investment in infrastructure brought about huge changes to society.
   Social media has brought about big changes in how children interact.

2. BRING ALONG

1. Take someone or something with you when you go somewhere
   “Is it ok if I bring along a friend to the party?” – “Sure, everyone is welcome!”
   I brought along my camera to the museum in case I wanted to take some photos.

3. BRING AROUND

1. Change someone’s view or opinion
   At first she didn’t agree that exercise was important but I managed to bring her around to my opinion.
2. Bring something with you when you visit
   I’ll bring around a bottle of wine when I come over later.
3. Make someone conscious after being unconscious
   He fainted so we splashed cold water on his face to bring him around.

4. BRING AWAY

1. Learn or gain something valuable, often through experience
   I brought away a lot from my cooking classes.

5. BRING BACK

1. To return something
   My clock stopped working so I brought it back to the shop.
2. Think about memories/feelings from the past
   Those photos bring back memories of our holidays in Spain.
3. Reintroduce something from past
   It would be a very bad idea to bring back slavery.
4. Re-employ
   They’re bringing back their old football manager in the hope that he can turn their season around.
5. Save someone’s life when they almost died
   His heart stopped but they managed to bring him back.
6. Talk about something you’ve already spoken about
   That brings us back to our original point: We need to regulate guns.

6. BRING DOWN

1. Fall/collapse
   No one knows what brought down the Malaysian airplane in 2014.
2. Topple/overturn a government
   The government was brought down by the corruption scandal.
3. Make someone feel bad emotionally
   David is so negative, he always brings down my mood.
4. To reduce something/make it lower
   The Prime Minister’s aim was to bring down unemployment by half.

7. BRING FORTH (old/formal)

1. Cause something to happen/to create or generate something
   Her complaint brought forth changes to the company’s policies.
2. To produce something
   The old trees in the garden brought forth apples and pears each year.
3. To give birth to (old-fashioned)
   She brought forth four sons and one daughter.

8. BRING FORWARD

1. Change the date or time of an event so that it happens earlier
   They brought forward the meeting to 11am as they had another appointment in the afternoon.
2. Announce a plan or proposal so people can consider it
   The Ministry of Defense will bring forward their budget next week.

9. BRING IN

1. Use skills of a particular group or person, invite them into an organisation or job
   We brought in a marketing expert for the campaign launch.
2. To make or earn money
   With my main job and my freelance work I bring in around £40,000 a year.
3. To introduce a new law or system
   In 2015 the new tax law was brought in throughout the country.
4. To involve someone new in a discussion or conversation you’re having
   At this point I’d like to bring in my colleague Anna, who has some interesting information on this issue.

10. BRING OFF

1. Succeed at something that is difficult
   It was a very difficult presentation but she brought it off.
   If he can bring off this deal he’ll be a very rich man.

11. BRING ON

1. Cause something to happen/appear (often related to an illness, pain etc.)
   Jane’s illness was brought on by stress.Bring something on
2. Confidence in meeting a challenge
   “Bet I can run up that hill faster than you.”
   “Bring it on!”

While ‘bring on’ means to cause something (usually negative) to happen, in conversational English ‘bring it on!’ is used to show that someone is ready and eager to face a challenge or difficult situation. It is often used in sports or physical challenges (e.g. “England vs. Germany? Bring it on!”)

12. BRING OUT

1. Produce a new product
   Toyota brought out a new, environmentally-friendly car this year.
2. To stress, highlight or reveal something
   That colour really brings out your blue eyes.
   He was such a great teacher that he always brought out the best in his students.
3. To publish something
   When are you bringing out your new book?

13. BRING OVER

1. Physically take someone or something from one place to another, especially someone’s home
   She’s going to bring over a film on DVD this evening.
   David is bringing over his new girlfriend this afternoon.

14. BRING ROUND

1. Regain consciousness (in particular after someone faints)
   We were worried it was more serious but the doctors managed to bring her round.
2. Convince or change someone’s opinion or point of view
   He didn’t believe in gun control but we discussed it and managed to bring him round.
3. To come to someone’s home with something
   Could you bring round some wine when you come for dinner tonight? 

Some phrasal verbs have very similar meanings. For example, ‘bring round’ and ‘bring to’ can both mean: to make someone regain consciousness. Similarly, ‘bring around’, ‘bring round’ and ‘bring over’ can all mean: to physically bring something or someone with you from one place to another (usually when you’re visiting someone’s home). But remember that ‘Bring round’, ‘bring to’ and ‘bring around’ all have additional meanings too!

15. BRING TO

1. Make someone regain consciousness
   After she fainted, the doctors brought her to.
2. Cause a ship/vessel to stop
   We’re approaching the harbor so let’s bring the boat to.

16. BRING UP

1. To mention a topic or subject in a conversation
   Don’t bring up that topic with Sarah or she’ll get annoyed.
2. To raise children or animals, the place someone was raised
   She brought up three children all on her own.
   I was brought up in London.
3. To vomit
   I got food poisoning last night and brought up everything I ate.
4. To open a program or website to view on a computer screen
   My Google search brought up some very interesting results.
   Could you bring up that email so I can take another look?

Exercises: phrasal verbs with ‘bring’

Alex Jude —
ESL Specialist & CEO at Online Teachers UK.

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