33 Common Phrasal Verbs Starting with O | Learn English

 

Phrasal Verbs

33 Common Phrasal Verbs Starting with O

Published on: May 17, 2026 | English-learning resource for O-initial phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs starting with O are useful in both spoken and written English. Below you will find 33 common phrasal verbs starting with O, each with a short example sentence in English.

1. Open up – become available; share feelings
   Example: She opened up about her childhood.
2. Open out – spread or expand
   Example: The road opens out into a wide valley.
3. Open onto – lead to a place
   Example: The balcony opens onto the garden.
4. Open up to – begin to trust or share with someone
   Example: He finally opened up to his friends.
5. Opt for – choose
   Example: I opted for the cheaper option.
6. Order around – tell someone what to do
   Example: She hates being ordered around.
7. Order in – have food delivered
   Example: We ordered in pizza tonight.
8. Order up – request food, goods, or supplies
   Example: The chef ordered up more ingredients.
9. Own up to – admit the truth
   Example: He owned up to the mistake.
10. Own up – confess
    Example: She finally owned up.
11. Occur to – come into the mind
    Example: It never occurred to me that he would leave.
12. Object to – disagree with or protest against
    Example: They objected to the new rules.
13. Offset against – balance one thing with another
    Example: The profits offset against the losses.
14. Open with – start with
    Example: The meeting opened with a short speech.
15. Operate on – perform surgery on
    Example: The doctor operated on the patient.
16. Opt in – choose to join or participate
    Example: You can opt in to the mailing list.
17. Opt out – choose not to participate
    Example: She opted out of the program.
18. Oil up – cover with oil; become oily
    Example: He oiled up the machine before use.
19. Owe to – be caused by
    Example: The delay was owed to bad weather.
20. Open against – face or oppose
    Example: The door opened against the wall.
21. Order out – command someone to leave
    Example: The teacher ordered the class out.
22. Own up for – take responsibility for
    Example: He owned up for the delay.
23. Open before – unfold or appear in front of
    Example: A long journey opened before us.
24. Offer up – present or give
    Example: They offered up a prayer.
25. Open between – exist in the space between
    Example: The path opens between two buildings.
26. Open by – be accessible by
    Example: The house opens by a small lane.
27. Object against – oppose
    Example: Some residents objected against the plan.
28. Order up for – request something for someone
    Example: She ordered up dinner for the guests.
29. Open from – begin at a certain time
    Example: The store opens from 9 a.m.
30. Open in – lead inside
    Example: The gate opens in to the courtyard.
31. Open out into – expand into
    Example: The trail opens out into a field.
32. Open over – extend above
    Example: The bridge opens over the river.