30 Essential Business Phrasal Verbs for Workplace English
30 business phrasal verbs used in meetings, emails, and negotiations. Clear meanings, real workplace examples, and common mistakes to avoid.
30 Essential Business Phrasal Verbs for Workplace English
Master the phrasal verbs you need for meetings, emails, and negotiations. Each verb includes a clear meaning and a real workplace example. Designed for B1-B2 learners in professional settings.
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Why phrasal verbs matter in business
In most workplaces, native speakers use phrasal verbs constantly. Your colleagues will say "let's follow up next week" or "we need to sort out the budget" not "let us continue the discussion" or "we need to resolve the budget issue". Learning business phrasal verbs helps you understand fast conversations and sound more natural when you speak. This guide covers 30 essential verbs split into three common business contexts: meetings, emails, and negotiations.
Each phrasal verb includes a simple definition and an example you can use in your own workplace. Study the tables, read the dialogue examples, and avoid the common mistakes at the end.
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1. Phrasal Verbs for Meetings
These are the most common phrasal verbs you will hear in business meetings. Use them to lead discussions, manage time, and share ideas.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Business Example |
|---|---|---|
| bring up | Mention a topic for discussion | I will bring up the budget issue at the next meeting. |
| follow up | Take further action after a meeting | Let me follow up with the client after our call. |
| call off | Cancel something | We had to call off the presentation because the CEO was sick. |
| kick off | Start a meeting or project | Let us kick off with the quarterly results. |
| go over | Review or examine | Let us go over the proposal one more time. |
| run through | Practise or rehearse quickly | Let me run through the slides before the client arrives. |
| point out | Draw attention to a specific detail | She pointed out that our costs have increased by 15%. |
| sum up | Give a brief summary | To sum up, we need to improve our customer service. |
| put off | Postpone to a later date | We put off the decision until the next board meeting. |
| hand over | Give responsibility to someone else | I will hand over the project to Sarah next week. |
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2. Phrasal Verbs for Business Emails
These phrasal verbs appear frequently in professional emails. They help you write clearly and sound natural.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Business Example |
|---|---|---|
| send out | Distribute to multiple people | I will send out the agenda before the meeting. |
| point out | Mention something important | As I pointed out in my previous email, the deadline is Friday. |
| jot down | Write something quickly | Let me jot down the details before I forget. |
| fill in | Complete a form; update someone with information | Can you fill me in on what I missed at the meeting? |
| get back to | Respond to someone later | I will get back to you with the figures by tomorrow. |
| look into | Investigate or research | Our team is looking into the issue you reported. |
| sort out | Resolve a problem | We need to sort out the delivery delays with the warehouse. |
| set up | Arrange a meeting or system | Could you set up a call with the Tokyo office? |
| reach out | Contact someone | I will reach out to the supplier about the delay. |
| draw up | Prepare a document or plan | Our legal team drew up a new contract for the partnership. |
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3. Phrasal Verbs for Negotiations
These verbs are essential for discussions about money, deals, and agreements. Use them to negotiate confidently.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Business Example |
|---|---|---|
| back down | Withdraw from a position in an argument | The union refused to back down on their demands. |
| cut back | Reduce spending or production | We have to cut back on marketing expenses this quarter. |
| cave in | Give in to pressure or demands | After three days of talks, they finally caved in. |
| fall through | Fail to happen; not succeed | The deal fell through because of financing issues. |
| go through | Be approved or completed | The merger went through after regulatory approval. |
| hold out | Resist pressure; wait for a better offer | The sellers are holding out for a higher price. |
| pay off | Yield positive results; repay debt | Our investment in new software is starting to pay off. |
| rule out | Exclude or eliminate a possibility | We cannot rule out the possibility of layoffs. |
| take over | Assume control of a company or role | A German firm took over our biggest competitor. |
| weigh up | Consider the pros and cons | We are weighing up the options before making a decision. |
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Business Phrasal Verbs in Action
See how these phrasal verbs come together in real workplace situations. Here are three short dialogues.
Dialogue: Email exchange
From: James to Maria
Subject: Update on the Johnson account
Hi Maria,
I wanted to follow up on our meeting yesterday. Could you look into the delivery timeline and get back to me by Thursday? I need to draw up the proposal before Friday.
Also, I will reach out to the client to sort out the pricing issues we discussed.
Best, James
Dialogue: Team meeting
Sarah: Let us kick off. First, can we go over the quarterly numbers?
Tom: Sure. I should point out that sales are down 8% in Europe.
Sarah: I want to bring up the marketing budget. We may need to cut back on social media ads.
Tom: Agreed. But do not rule out digital channels completely. We are weighing up a new approach.
Sarah: To sum up, we will decide next week after Tom hands over the full report.
Dialogue: Supplier negotiation
Client: Your prices are 20% higher than last year. We cannot accept this increase.
You: I understand. But raw material costs have gone up significantly. We cannot cave in on pricing or we will lose money on every order.
Client: What if we increase the order volume? Could you cut back on the markup?
You: If you commit to 12 months, I can offer a 5% discount. But I will not back down further than that.
Client: That works for us. Let us draw up the agreement.
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5 Most Common Mistakes with Business Phrasal Verbs
Even advanced learners make these errors. Here is how to avoid them.
| Mistake | Why it is wrong | Correct version |
|---|---|---|
| "We need to discuss about the budget." | "Discuss" does not need "about" | "We need to talk about the budget." or "We need to discuss the budget." |
| "I look forward to meet you." | "Look forward to" takes the -ing form | "I look forward to meeting you." |
| "The meeting was called of." | Wrong particle | "The meeting was called off." |
| "She picked me up from the airport." (too casual for business) | "Pick up" is too informal for a professional email | "She collected me from the airport." (slightly more formal) |
| "I will revert back to you." | "Revert back" is redundant. "Revert" means go back | "I will get back to you." or "I will revert to you." |
Practise business English with a tutor
The best way to master business phrasal verbs is to use them in real conversations. Book 1-on-1 lessons with a business English tutor on iTalki. Prices start at $5/hour.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are business phrasal verbs formal or informal?
Do UK and US business English use different phrasal verbs?
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