Complete Phrasal Verb Lesson With Definitions and Examples

In this post, we share 100 common phrasal verbs for Business English and show you how to master them. What Are Phrasal Verbs? A phrasal verb is made up of a verb + a particle or two particles, which can be prepositions or adverbs, that work together to create a meaning different from the individual words.

Phrasal verbs are widely used in business English and make conversations more concise, natural and professional. For example:

• Bring up (mention) – “She brought up an important point in the meeting.”
• Look into (investigate) – “We need to look into this issue before making a decision.”

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Why Are Phrasal Verbs So Important in Business Communication?

Mastering phrasal verbs will help you understand more of what you hear & read, and make you a better, more professional English speaker. Whether you’re “following up” on an email or “taking over” a project, phrasal verbs are everywhere in the business world.

What You Need to Know About Phrasal Verbs for Business

Separable vs Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs can be classified as separable or inseparable based on whether the verb and the particle (preposition or adverb) can be split by an object. It is estimated that about 60% of phrasals are separable (= can be separated). The rest cannot, and are therefore classified as “inseparable.”

Separable Phrasal Verbs

• The verb and the particle can be separated by an object.
• If the object is a pronoun (e.g., “it,” “them”), it must go between the verb and the particle.

Examples:

Write down:
Please write down the address.
Please write it down. (Correct)
Please write down it. (Incorrect)

Call off:
They called off the meeting.
They called it off. (Correct)
They called off it. (Incorrect)

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

• The verb and the particle cannot be separated, even by an object.
• The object always comes after the entire phrasal verb.

Examples:

Look into:
We’ll look into the issue.
We’ll look into it. (Correct)
We’ll look it into. (Incorrect)

Run into:
I ran into an old colleague.
I ran into her. (Correct)
I ran her into. (Incorrect)

How do you Pronounce Phrasal Verbs?

Importantly, the stress falls on the preposition rather than the verb – “write DOWN”, “call OFF”, “look INTO”. Secondly, although separated by a space, phrasal verbs are pronounced like a single unit, so “get around” sounds like “geddaROUND”. Practice saying these aloud, minding both the stress and the linking.

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What Are the Most Common Phrasal Verbs in Business English?

Here are 5 essential phrasal verbs for the workplace:

1. Follow up – To check on something after an initial interaction.
2. Set up – To arrange or organize something.
3. Take over – To assume control or responsibility.
4. Bring up – To introduce a topic for discussion.
5. Go over – To review or examine something.

For the complete list of 100 phrasal verbs, keep reading below.

100 Phrasal Verbs for Business English

We’ve compiled a list of 100 essential phrasal verbs that are frequently used in professional settings, organized by situation to help you learn and use them like a native speaker!

1. Planning and Strategy

These phrasal verbs are essential for discussing preparation, organization, and strategic thinking in a business context.

1. Lay out: Explain or arrange something in detail.
   Example: She wants to lay out the plan for the new project.
   
2. Map out: Plan something carefully.
   Example: We need to map out our marketing strategy.
   
3. Set out: Begin a task or explain intentions.
   Example: He set out to improve the company’s sales.
   
4. Set up: Arrange or establish something.
   Example: They set up the room for the meeting.
   
5. Plan ahead: Prepare for the future.
   Example: We need to plan ahead for the next quarter.
   
6. Think through: Consider all aspects of something carefully.
   Example: Let’s think through the potential risks before we proceed.
   
7. Set aside: Reserve time or resources for a purpose.
   Example: Let’s set aside time to review the proposal.
   
8. Lay down: Establish rules or guidelines.
   Example: The manager laid down the ground rules for the project.
   
9. Follow up on: Ensure progress is made on a task.
   Example: I’ll follow up on the team’s progress next week.
   
10. Draw up: Prepare a document or plan.
    Example: Our lawyers will draw up the agreement.

2. Communication

These phrasal verbs are commonly used in professional conversations, meetings, and written communication.

1. Bring up: Mention a topic.
   Example: She brought up an interesting point in the meeting.
   
2. Call back: Return a phone call.
   Example: I’ll call you back later.
   
3. Come up: Be mentioned or appear unexpectedly.
   Example: Your name came up during the meeting.
   
4. Point out: Indicate or draw attention to something.
   Example: She pointed out a mistake in the report.
   
5. Speak up: Talk louder or express an opinion.
   Example: Please speak up; I can’t hear you.
   
6. Go over: Review or examine.
   Example: Let’s go over the report one more time.
   
7. Look into: Investigate or examine.
   Example: The police are looking into the incident.
   
8. Write down: Record something on paper.
   Example: Please write down the instructions.
   
9. Follow up: Check on something or continue communication.
   Example: I’ll follow up with the client tomorrow.
   
10. Reach out: Contact someone.
    Example: We need to reach out to potential customers.

3. Teamwork and Collaboration

These phrasal verbs are useful for discussing relationships and working together in a team.

1. Get along: Have a good relationship.
   Example: They get along well with each other.
   
2. Catch up: Reach the same level or speed as someone.
   Example: He needs to catch up on the most recent changes since his holiday.
   
3. Put up with: Tolerate something unpleasant.
   Example: I can’t put up with this noise any longer.
   
4. Pitch in: Contribute or help as part of a group.
   Example: Everyone pitched in to finish the project on time.
   
5. Step in: Intervene or assist.
   Example: The manager stepped in to resolve the conflict.
   
6. Work together: Collaborate on a task.
   Example: We need to work together to meet the deadline.
   
7. Back up: Support or assist someone.
   Example: Can you back me up during the presentation?
   
8. Team up: Join forces with someone.
   Example: We teamed up with another department for the project.
   
9. Step up: Take responsibility or show initiative.
   Example: She stepped up to lead the project when no one else volunteered.
   
10. Iron out: Resolve minor issues or disagreements.
    Example: Let’s iron out the details before presenting the plan.

4. Management and Leadership

These phrasal verbs are useful for discussing tasks, responsibilities, and decision-making in a business context.

1. Take over: Assume control or responsibility.
   Example: He will take over as manager next month.
   
2. Put off: Postpone something.
   Example: We had to put off the meeting until next week.
   
3. Kick off: Begin something.
   Example: The event kicked off with a speech.
   
4. Move on: Proceed to the next thing or let go of something.
   Example: It’s time to move on from last weeks critical shutdown.
   
5. Call off: Cancel something.
   Example: We had to call off the meeting due to scheduling conflicts.
   
6. Look after: Take care of or manage something.
   Example: She’s looking after the new interns.
   
7. Run by: Share an idea or decision for feedback.
   Example: I’ll run this by the team before finalizing it.
   
8. Pull together: Work as a team to achieve something.
   Example: The team pulled together to meet the deadline.
   
9. Hand over: Transfer responsibility or job tasks to someone else.
   Example: I’ve completed my hand over to the new team member.
   
10. Take on: Accept responsibility or hire someone.
    Example: The company is taking on new employees.

5. Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

These phrasal verbs are often used when addressing challenges or making decisions in a professional setting.

1. Figure out: Understand or solve something.
   Example: I can’t figure out how to fix this.
   
2. Find out: Discover information.
   Example: I just found out about the meeting.
   
3. Think over: Consider something carefully.
   Example: I’ll think over your suggestion tonight.
   
4. Deal with: Handle a problem or situation.
   Example: We need to deal with this issue immediately.
   
5. Run into: Encounter a problem or difficulty.
   Example: We ran into some issues with the supplier.
   
6. Work out: Find a solution.
   Example: We need to work out a solution to this problem.
   
7. Sort out: Resolve an issue.
   Example: We need to sort out this misunderstanding.
   
8. Break down: Analyze or simplify a problem.
   Example: Let’s break down the issue into smaller parts.
   
9. Cut down: Reduce the amount of something.
   Example: You should cut down on unnecessary expenses.
   
10. Come up with: Think of a solution.
    Example: She came up with a creative way to solve the problem.

6. Logistics and Operations

These phrasal verbs are relevant for discussing tasks, processes, and operational matters.

1. Check in: Register at a hotel or airport.
   Example: We checked in at 3 PM.
   
2. Check out: Leave a hotel or examine something.
   Example: We checked out of the hotel this morning.
   
3. Drop off: Deliver or fall asleep.
   Example: Can you drop off the package at the post office?
   
4. Run out: Use up all of something.
   Example: We ran out of milk this morning.
   
5. Track down: Locate or find something.
   Example: We need to track down the missing shipment.
   
6. Hand over: Transfer responsibility to someone else.
   Example: He handed over the task to his assistant.
   
7. Set up: Arrange or prepare something.
   Example: They set up the conference room for the meeting.
   
8. Turn around: Improve or reverse a situation.
   Example: The team turned the project around after initial delays.
   
9. Log in: Access a computer system.
   Example: Please log in to the system to check your emails.
   
10. Shut down: Turn off or stop operating.
    Example: The system shut down unexpectedly.

7. Finance and Budgeting

These phrasal verbs focus on money, budgeting, and financial management.

1. Cut back: Reduce spending.
   Example: We need to cut back on unnecessary expenses.
   
2. Pay off: Repay a debt or achieve success.
   Example: The investment paid off in the long run.
   
3. Save up: Accumulate money for a purpose.
   Example: She’s saving up for a new office space.
   
4. Break even: Neither make a profit nor a loss.
   Example: The company finally broke even after two years.
   
5. Dip into: Use savings or reserves.
   Example: We had to dip into our emergency fund to cover expenses.
   
6. Add up: Make sense or calculate a total.
   Example: The numbers don’t add up; let’s double-check the budget.
   
7. Run up: Accumulate debt.
   Example: He ran up a large credit card bill last month.
   
8. Set aside: Reserve money for a specific purpose.
   Example: We’ve set aside funds for the new project.
   
9. Take out: Obtain a loan or withdraw money.
   Example: She took out a loan to start her business.
   
10. Write off: Cancel a debt or consider something a loss.
    Example: The company wrote off the bad debt.

8. Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

These phrasal verbs are helpful for discussing compromises, agreements, and resolving disputes.

1. Give in: Surrender or yield.
   Example: She finally gave in to their demands.
   
2. Make up: Reconcile, create, or compensate.
   Example: They made up after their argument.
   
3. Turn down: Reject or lower the volume.
   Example: She turned down the job offer.
   
4. Back down: Withdraw a claim or concede defeat.
   Example: They refused to back down during the dispute.
   
5. Hammer out: Negotiate and reach an agreement.
   Example: We hammered out the details of the contract.
   
6. Smooth over: Resolve or minimize a conflict.
   Example: The manager smoothed over the disagreement between the teams.
   
7. Give way: Yield or compromise.
   Example: They gave way on pricing to close the deal.
   
8. Come to: Reach an agreement or decision.
   Example: We finally came to an agreement on the contract.
   
9. Hold out: Resist or wait for a better offer.
   Example: They’re holding out for a higher price.
   
10. Settle on: Decide or agree on something.
    Example: We settled on a price after hours of negotiation.

9. Growth and Development

These phrasal verbs relate to personal or professional growth, as well as business expansion.

1. Build up: Increase or develop something.
   Example: We need to build up our client base.
   
2. Branch out: Expand into new areas or markets.
   Example: The company is branching out into e-commerce.
   
3. Scale up: Increase the size or scope of something.
   Example: We’re scaling up production to meet demand.
   
4. Move up: Advance in position or rank.
   Example: He moved up to a senior management role.
   
5. Catch on: Become popular or successful.
   Example: The new product is catching on quickly.
   
6. Level up: Improve or advance to a higher level.
   Example: She leveled up her skills by taking a leadership course.
   
7. Reach out: Make an effort to connect with others.
   Example: We’re reaching out to new clients to expand our business.
   
8. Roll out: Launch a new product or service.
   Example: We’re rolling out the new software next month.
   
9. Take off: Become successful or popular quickly.
   Example: The business really took off after the rebranding.
   
10. Follow through: Ensure progress is made.
    Example: He followed through on his plan to improve team performance.

10. Performance and Results

These phrasal verbs are related to achieving goals, measuring success, or evaluating outcomes.

1. Carry out: Perform or complete a task.
   Example: We carried out a survey to gather feedback.
   
2. Turn out: Result in a certain way or attend.
   Example: The project turned out to be a success.
   
3. Pull off: Succeed in doing something difficult.
   Example: They pulled off the merger despite challenges.
   
4. Bring about: Cause something to happen.
   Example: The new policy brought about significant changes.
   
5. Fall through: Fail to happen or succeed.
   Example: The deal fell through at the last minute.
   
6. Wrap up: Finish or conclude something.
   Example: Let’s wrap up the meeting with a summary.
   
7. Zero in on: Focus on something specific.
   Example: We need to zero in on our target audience.
   
8. Turn up: Appear or be found unexpectedly.
   Example: The missing files turned up in the archive.
   
9. Bring off: Successfully accomplish something difficult.
   Example: They brought off the merger despite challenges.
   
10. Pay off: Yield positive results.
    Example: The hard work paid off in the end.
    

How can I use phrasal verbs effectively in the workplace?

Learning and using phrasal verbs effectively in the workplace requires a combination of understanding their meanings, practicing their usage, and applying them in real-life situations. Here are some tips to help you master phrasal verbs and use them confidently at work:

Be Patient and Consistent
Learning phrasal verbs takes time, especially since they can be tricky. Focus on a few at a time, practice consistently, and gradually expand your vocabulary.

Focus on Context
Phrasal verbs often have multiple meanings depending on the context. For example, “take off” can mean removing something (e.g., “Take off your jacket”) or achieving success (e.g., “The project really took off”). Pay attention to how phrasal verbs are used in workplace conversations, emails, or meetings to understand their specific meanings.

Create Flashcards or Use Apps
Write down phrasal verbs with their meanings and example sentences on flashcards or use language-learning apps. Review them regularly to reinforce your memory.

Listen and Imitate
Pay attention to how native speakers use phrasal verbs in professional settings. Watch business-related videos, listen to podcasts, or observe colleagues. Try to imitate their usage to improve your fluency and confidence.

Ask for Feedback
If you’re unsure about using a phrasal verb correctly, ask a colleague, teacher, or mentor for feedback. This will help you refine your understanding and avoid common mistakes.

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“100 Phrasal Verbs for Business English” by A Roberts & Brenda de Jong-Pauley MA, Director, The English Center, 2025

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