All phrasal verbs
show
/ʃoʊ/4 phrasal verbsThe plain verb means to display or reveal.
Show up (arrive) and show off (display boastfully) are both high-frequency and easy to confuse in a hurry, but they point in opposite directions: UP is about you appearing, OFF is about you projecting outward at others.
SHOW ends in a vowel, so a /w/ glide appears: show up is “show-wup”, show off is “show-woff”.
Side by side
Every SHOW phrasal verb, with the one line that keeps it apart from its siblings. Tap any one to open it.
| Phrasal verb | Means | How to remember it |
|---|---|---|
| show upNo object2 meanings | arrive, often late or unexpectedly | UP = you appear. |
| show offBoth | display your abilities boastfully | OFF = you project outward at an audience. |
| show aroundSeparable | give someone a tour of a place | AROUND = you cover the whole place. |
| show inSeparable | escort a visitor inside | IN = you bring them through the door. |