50 Must-Know Phrasal Verbs for Business English (+ Examples)

In the fast-paced world of business, effective communication is key. Phrasal verbs—those tricky combinations of verbs and prepositions—are a huge part of professional conversations, emails, and meetings. In this article, we’ll cover 50 essential phrasal verbs for Business English, organized by common work contexts. Let’s dive in!

Phrasal Verbs for Meetings

These phrasal verbs will help you communicate clearly and effectively during business discussions.

1) Bring up: To introduce a topic

Let’s bring up the budget concerns in the next meeting.

2) Run through: To briefly explain or review

Let’s run through the presentation before the client arrives.

3) Wrap up: To finish or conclude

We’ll wrap up this meeting at 3 PM.

4) Follow up: To check or act on something after the initial discussion

Can you follow up on the marketing proposal with John?

5) Kick off: To start a meeting or event

We’ll kick off the project planning session at 10 AM.

6) Call off: To cancel

The team decided to call off the meeting due to scheduling conflicts.

7) Go over: To review or discuss in detail

Let’s go over the numbers one more time.

8) Figure out: To find a solution

We need to figure out a way to cut costs.

9) Cut off: To interrupt someone

Sorry to cut you off, but we’re running out of time.

10) Touch on: To briefly mention

We’ll touch on the key challenges during the presentation.

Phrasal Verbs for Emails

Phrasal verbs make your emails sound professional yet natural.

11) Follow up: To remind or check in about something

I’m following up on my previous email regarding the project.

12) Get back to: To respond to someone

I’ll get back to you with the details by Friday.

13) Touch base: To check in or connect briefly

Let’s touch base next week to finalize the deal.

14) Send out: To distribute information

We’ll send out the revised contracts by tomorrow.

15) Bring in: To involve someone in a discussion

Let’s bring in the HR team to resolve this issue.

16) Point out: To highlight something important

I just wanted to point out a typo in the document.

17) Put forward: To suggest or propose

I’d like to put forward a new idea for the campaign.

18) Follow through: To complete a task or commitment

Please follow through on updating the schedule.

19) Reach out: To contact someone

I’ll reach out to the supplier for an update.

20) Keep in the loop: To keep someone informed

Please keep me in the loop about the client’s feedback.

Phrasal Verbs for Negotiations

Master these verbs to handle workplace negotiations confidently.

21) Back down: To yield or concede

We won’t back down on our pricing policy.

22) Hold off: To delay taking action

Let’s hold off on signing the agreement until we get clarity.

23) Iron out: To resolve differences

We need to iron out the final details before proceeding.

24) Bring up: To raise a point or issue

He brought up concerns about the timeline during negotiations.

25) Come to: To reach an agreement

After hours of discussion, we came to a consensus.

26) Break down: To analyze in detail

Let’s break down the cost structure before deciding.

27) Step in: To intervene

The manager stepped in to mediate the dispute.

28) Push back: To resist or delay

The supplier pushed back on the revised terms.

29) Lay out: To present clearly

They laid out their proposal during the negotiation.

30) Give in: To reluctantly agree

We eventually gave in to their demands for a faster delivery.

Phrasal Verbs for Workplace Dynamics

These verbs help you discuss roles, responsibilities, and changes.

31) Step up: To take responsibility or initiative

She stepped up to lead the project when no one else did.

32) Take over: To assume control

He will take over as team leader starting next month.

33) Cut back: To reduce

We need to cut back on expenses this quarter.

34) Fill in: To substitute for someone

Can you fill in for me at the meeting?

35) Hand over: To transfer responsibility

I’ll hand over the project to Sarah once it’s completed.

36) Keep up: To maintain performance or pace

You’re doing great—keep up the good work!

37) Catch up: To get up to speed or reach the same level

I need to catch up on the latest reports.

38) Call out: To highlight a mistake or issue

She called out an error in the financial statement.

39) Work out: To solve or resolve

We’re trying to work out a solution for the staffing issue.

40) Deal with: To handle a situation or problem

We’ll deal with customer complaints after the meeting.

Miscellaneous Phrasal Verbs

Versatile verbs that fit various business contexts.

41) Carry on: To continue

Let’s carry on with the discussion after lunch.

42) Sort out: To organize or resolve

We need to sort out the travel arrangements soon.

43) Bring down: To reduce

We need to bring down our costs to stay competitive.

44) Look into: To investigate

I’ll look into the issue and get back to you.

45) Turn down: To reject

We had to turn down the client’s offer.

46) Put off: To delay

Can we put off the meeting until tomorrow?

47) Move forward: To proceed

We can move forward once everyone agrees.

48) Sign off: To approve

The manager needs to sign off on the proposal first.

49) Set up: To establish or arrange

Can you set up a meeting with the new client?

50) Follow up: To ensure action is taken

I’ll follow up with the team to confirm the next steps.

Conclusion

Knowing phrasal verbs for Business English can level up your career in an English-speaking workplace. Start using these 50 verbs in your emails, meetings, and daily conversations to sound more natural and confident. Do you have a favorite business phrasal verb? Share it in the comments!