30 Phrasal Verbs You Need for Business English
Phrasal verbs are the secret ingredient that separates textbook English from real English. Native speakers use them constantly at work. in meetings, emails, and casual conversations. If you don't know them, you miss meaning. If you use them well, you sound natural.
The problem? There are thousands of phrasal verbs, and most lists dump them on you alphabetically with no context. That's useless.
Instead, here are 30 business phrasal verbs organized by the situation where you'll actually need them. Each one includes a definition, an example sentence from a real work context, and common mistakes to avoid.
Meetings (1-8)
1. Bring up
Meaning: To introduce a topic for discussion.
Example: "I'd like to bring up the issue of overtime before we move on."
Common mistake: Don't confuse with "bring out" (to release a product) or "bring in" (to hire or involve someone).
2. Come up with
Meaning: To think of an idea or plan.
Example: "We need to come up with a solution by Friday."
Note: This always implies creativity. You come up with ideas, solutions, and plans. Not problems.
3. Go over
Meaning: To review or examine something.
Example: "Let's go over the quarterly numbers before the board meeting."
Common mistake: "Go over" is more thorough than "look at." Use it when you're reviewing something carefully.
4. Run through
Meaning: To quickly review or practice something.
Example: "Can we run through the presentation one more time?"
Note: Similar to "go over" but implies speed. You run through something quickly; you go over something carefully.
5. Weigh in
Meaning: To give your opinion.
Example: "Sarah, would you like to weigh in on this?"
Note: Often used as an invitation to speak. "Weigh in on" something.
6. Wrap up
Meaning: To finish or conclude.
Example: "Let's wrap up. we've covered everything on the agenda."
Common mistake: Don't use "wrap up" for formal presentations. Use "conclude" instead. "Wrap up" is for meetings and conversations.
7. Hold off
Meaning: To delay or wait.
Example: "Let's hold off on the launch until we get the test results."
Note: "Hold off on" something. It implies a deliberate decision to wait, not procrastination.
8. Circle back
Meaning: To return to a topic later.
Example: "Good point. let's circle back to that after we finish the budget discussion."
Note: Very common in corporate English. Some people overuse it to avoid making decisions, so use it genuinely.
Emails and Communication (9-15)
9. Follow up
Meaning: To check on the progress of something or continue a previous conversation.
Example: "I'm following up on the proposal I sent last week."
Note: As a noun, it's hyphenated: "a follow-up email."
10. Get back to
Meaning: To respond to someone later.
Example: "I don't have that number right now. let me get back to you."
Common mistake: Don't say "revert back." Say "get back to" someone.
11. Point out
Meaning: To highlight or draw attention to something.
Example: "I'd like to point out that the deadline has changed."
Note: Can sometimes sound slightly confrontational. Soften it with: "I just want to point out..."
12. Look into
Meaning: To investigate or research.
Example: "I'll look into the billing issue and let you know what I find."
Note: Professional way to say "I'll investigate." Commonly used in customer service and internal communication.
13. Fill in
Meaning: To give someone the information they need (about a situation they missed).
Example: "I missed the morning meeting. can you fill me in?"
Note: "Fill in" a person. "Fill out" a form. Don't mix them up.
14. Send out
Meaning: To distribute something to multiple people.
Example: "I'll send out the meeting notes by end of day."
Note: "Send" is for one person. "Send out" implies multiple recipients or a wider distribution.
15. Reach out
Meaning: To contact someone, usually for the first time or after a while.
Example: "I'm going to reach out to the vendor about the pricing."
Note: More professional than "contact" in American business English. Very common in emails.
Projects and Tasks (16-23)
16. Take on
Meaning: To accept or begin a responsibility.
Example: "She took on the project management role when David left."
Common mistake: "Take on" implies acceptance of responsibility. Don't confuse with "take over" (to assume control from someone else).
17. Take over
Meaning: To assume control or responsibility from someone else.
Example: "I'll take over the client account while you're on leave."
Note: Implies a handoff. Someone was doing it before; now you are.
18. Set up
Meaning: To arrange or organize something.
Example: "Can you set up a meeting with the design team?"
Note: Used for meetings, systems, processes, and accounts. Very versatile.
19. Carry out
Meaning: To execute or complete a task.
Example: "The audit was carried out by an external firm."
Note: More formal than "do." Used often in reports and official communication.
20. Put off
Meaning: To postpone.
Example: "We can't put off this decision any longer."
Note: Unlike "hold off" (which is strategic), "put off" often implies avoidance or procrastination.
21. Come across
Meaning: To find something unexpectedly.
Example: "I came across an interesting article about our competitor."
Note: Also means "to give the impression of." "She comes across as very professional" = she seems professional.
22. Figure out
Meaning: To solve or understand something.
Example: "We need to figure out why sales dropped in Q3."
Note: More natural than "determine" or "discover" in everyday work conversation.
23. Keep up with
Meaning: To stay at the same level or pace.
Example: "It's hard to keep up with all the changes in the industry."
Note: Implies effort. You're trying to stay current or match a pace.
Negotiations and Business Decisions (24-30)
24. Turn down
Meaning: To reject or refuse.
Example: "They turned down our proposal, so we need to revise it."
Common mistake: Don't use "reject" and "turn down" in the same sentence. Choose one.
25. Work out
Meaning: To resolve a problem OR to calculate something.
Example: "I'm sure we can work out a deal that works for both sides."
Example 2: "I need to work out the total cost before we sign."
Note: Context tells you which meaning applies.
26. Cut back on
Meaning: To reduce.
Example: "We need to cut back on travel expenses this quarter."
Note: Implies a deliberate reduction. Stronger than "reduce". suggests a real effort.
27. Call off
Meaning: To cancel.
Example: "The client called off the deal at the last minute."
Note: Implies sudden or unexpected cancellation. Don't use it for routine rescheduling.
28. Draw up
Meaning: To create a formal document or plan.
Example: "Our legal team will draw up the contract."
Note: Used for contracts, proposals, plans, and agreements. More formal than "write."
29. Go ahead
Meaning: To proceed.
Example: "The board approved the budget, so we can go ahead with the project."
Note: "Go ahead" can also be used to give permission: "Go ahead. start without me."
30. Fall through
Meaning: To fail or not happen as planned.
Example: "The acquisition fell through due to regulatory issues."
Note: Implies something that was expected or planned didn't materialize. Used for deals, plans, and arrangements.
How to Actually Learn These
Reading a list once won't do it. Here's the approach that works:
1. Pick 5 per week. Don't try to learn all 30 at once.
2. Use each one in a real email or conversation within 48 hours of learning it.
3. Notice them in the wild. Once you know a phrasal verb, you'll start hearing it everywhere. in meetings, podcasts, and emails. That repetition cements it.
4. Keep a "phrasal verb journal." When you encounter a new one, write down the sentence where you found it (not just the definition).
Master phrasal verbs in context
Our Everyday English Confidence course teaches phrasal verbs the right way. in context, with practice exercises and real conversations.
Want to accelerate your learning? Book a 1-on-1 lesson and we'll practice using these in mock meetings and real scenarios.
Get our free phrasal verbs cheat sheet. grouped by topic with example sentences. at /free.