All About the Word “Land” in English

One of the most interesting words in English is “land” [lænd] (ground/earth). Land in English can refer to any part of the Earth’s surface not covered by water, such as a continent or island. It can also refer to a piece of ground with defined boundaries or features, like farmland or land for construction. However, “land” can have other meanings as well. For example, it can mean to arrive on shore or to dock. Other meanings include to catch or capture something, like landing a fish with a fishing rod or landing a high-paying job. In English, the word “land” can function as a noun, verb, or adjective. Here are some examples:

• I love to travel to different lands (Land as a noun)
• He landed with a parachute (Land as a verb)
• This is a land animal (Land as an adjective)

The most intriguing and diverse meanings come when “land” is used as a phrasal verb. Let’s look closer at common phrasal verbs with “land” – their meanings and usage examples.

15 phrasal verbs with “land” in English 

Land up – to finally be in a particular place or situation, often without having planned it.

• After several hours of wandering around lost, we landed up at a quaint roadside diner.

Land up in – Arrive, end a journey in a place, often without planning.

• We set out for Manchester, but landed up in Liverpool.

Land with – to be burdened or endowed with something, typically unexpectedly.

• She landed with the task of organizing the entire event.

Land on – to arrive at a surface (literally or figuratively) or to attack/criticize suddenly.

• The bird landed on the branch.
• The boss landed on him for being late.

Land in – to arrive somewhere, especially unexpectedly or by accident. Get someone into trouble

• He landed in trouble for not doing his homework.
• He landed me in it when he told them what I had done wrong.

Land among – to find oneself unexpectedly in a group or situation.

• She landed among a group of experts and felt quite out of her depth.

Land at – to arrive at a specific place, especially after a journey.

• The plane is due to land at JFK airport at 6 PM.

Land behind – to end up being delayed or in a worse position than others.

• He landed behind the rest of the class after missing several weeks of school.

Land below – to reach a position that is lower than desired or expected.

• The final score landed below what the team had hoped for.

Land by – to obtain or achieve something by a particular means.

• She landed the job by networking with the right people.

Land off – To disembark far away or inaccurately from somewhere.

• The helicopter had to land off the designated landing zone due to bad weather.

Land for – To designate land for a specific use.

• The city council decided to land for commercial development.

Land out – To break down or lose effectiveness when landing.

• The aircraft’s landing gear malfunctioned, causing it to land out unexpectedly.

Land from – to arrive from a particular place.

• After his long flight, he finally landed from Tokyo.

Land before – to come to attention or come before a body or authority.

• The proposal will land before the committee next week.

Land into – similar to “land in,” to get into a situation, usually a difficult one.

• He landed into a heated debate without intending to.

In conclusion, the word “land” in English is very multifaceted, with many meanings and frequent use. Interesting cases are its uses as a phrasal verb. With more practice and repetition, these phrasal verbs will become simple and commonplace for you to use. Overall, “land” is a diverse and versatile word that lets you describe arriving, catching, finding, and designating ground or earth across various contexts. Mastering phrasal verbs with “land” will level up your English fluency.