The Most Used Business Phrasal Verbs

In the world of business, phrasal verbs are an important part of communication. These multi-word phrases, made up of a verb and one or more particles (like “up,” “out,” “in,” etc.), can often change the meaning of the verb itself, making them tricky to master. But don't worry! We've got you covered with this guide to some of the most commonly used business English phrasal verbs, complete with definitions and example sentences to help you use them confidently.

Essential Business English Phrasal Verbs

1. Bring up - Meaning: To introduce a topic or issue for discussion. Example: "She brought up the issue of project deadlines during the meeting."
2. Follow up - Meaning: To check or get more information on something after an initial action or discussion. Example: "I’ll follow up with the client to ensure they received our proposal."
3. Look into - Meaning: To investigate or examine a situation or problem. Example: "The manager promised to look into the customer complaints immediately."
4. Cut back - Meaning: To reduce expenses or spending. Example: "The company needs to cut back on travel expenses this quarter."
5. Put off - Meaning: To delay or postpone something. Example: "The meeting has been put off until next week due to scheduling conflicts."
6. Go over - Meaning: To review or examine something carefully. Example: "Let’s go over the presentation one more time before the client meeting."
7. Set up - Meaning: To arrange or organize something, like a meeting or a project. Example: "I’ll set up a conference call for Friday afternoon."
8. Take over - Meaning: To assume control or responsibility for something. Example: "After the merger, the new CEO will take over the leadership of the company."
9. Run by - Meaning: To get someone’s opinion or approval before making a decision. Example: "I need to run these figures by the finance team before we finalize the budget."
10. Break down - Meaning: To divide something into smaller parts to make it easier to understand or manage. Example: "Let’s break down the project into smaller tasks to see what needs to be done."
11. Get ahead - Meaning: To make progress or advance in one’s career or position. Example: "If you want to get ahead in this company, you need to show initiative."
12. Call off - Meaning: To cancel an event, meeting, or agreement. Example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the company decided to call off the product launch."
13. Draw up - Meaning: To prepare a document, plan, or proposal in detail. Example: "We need to draw up a contract for the new partnership by the end of the week."
14. Carry out - Meaning: To perform or complete a task or project. Example: "The team will carry out the market research over the next few months."
15. Back up - Meaning: To support or provide evidence for something; also, to make a copy of data. Example: "Make sure you back up all your files before the system update."
16. Hand in - Meaning: To submit or deliver something, like a report or assignment. Example: "Please hand in your expense reports by Friday."
17. Wrap up - Meaning: To finish or complete something, like a task or meeting. Example: "Let’s wrap up this meeting and move on to the next agenda item."
18. Come up with - Meaning: To think of or produce an idea, plan, or solution. Example: "We need to come up with a new strategy to boost sales."
19. Turn down - Meaning: To reject or refuse an offer or proposal. Example: "They turned down our initial offer, but we’re open to negotiation."
20. Fill in - Meaning: To provide someone with necessary information; also, to temporarily replace someone. Example: "Could you fill me in on what happened at yesterday’s meeting?"

Practice Business Phrasal Verbs with Teachify

Mastering these phrasal verbs will help you communicate more naturally and effectively in any business setting. At Teachify, our Business English classes focus on practical language use, including phrasal verbs, to ensure you feel confident in professional conversations.

And don’t forget to try out our new AI-powered app! The app offers interactive exercises and real-life scenarios to help you practice and remember these essential phrasal verbs, anytime, anywhere.

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The Teachify Team