Common Phrasal Verbs for Business

English
PHRASAL VERB DEFINITION EXAMPLE
I need a good real estate agent. Could
to ask many people the same
to ask around you ask around the office and see if
question
anyone knows one?
Thanks for backing me up in the
to back (someone) up to support
meeting.
We have a bad connection. I'll call
to call (someone) back to return a phone call
you back in a few minutes.
Management is going to call the
to call (something) off to cancel meeting off because so many people
are out sick today.
I don't care for team building
to not care for to not like (formal) activities. I think they are a waste of
time.
to arrive and register at a hotel We checked in at 5 PM and then went
to check in
or airport to get something to eat.
We checked out a few hours late and
to check out to leave a hotel
had to pay an extra fee.
to check
I'm not sure why the copier isn't
(someone/something) to look at carefully, investigate
working. I'll check it out.
out
to chip in (also to pitch We should be able to finish quickly if
to help
in) everyone pitches in.
I was reading last night and I came
to come across to find unexpectedly across a couple of phrasal verbs I had
never seen before.
We have a great team. I can count on
to count on to rely on
everyone to do their best.
It's a tough economy. We're trying to
to cut back on to consume less
cut back on unnecessary expenses.
Can I cut in and say something,
to cut in to interrupt
please?
I can't believe I closed the document
to do (something) over to do again without saving. Now I'm going to
have to do the whole thing over.
They did away with bonuses last year
to do away with to discard; to put an end to
because their profits were so low.
come without an appointment; John dropped by my office to talk
to drop by
to visit briefly about last month's figures.

to drop to take someone/something My car was in the shop, so Kevin

(someone/something) somewhere and leave them/it dropped me off at my house.
 PHRASAL VERB DEFINITION EXAMPLE
off there
At first I thought I wanted to be an
to eventually reach, do, or accountant. Then, I studied finance. I
to end up
decide ended up getting my degree in
management, though.
I can't figure out why the printer isn't
to figure (something) to understand; to find the
working. I've tried everything, and it
out answer
still won't work.
There were a lot of forms to fill out
to fill (something) out to write information in blanks
when I got my new job.
I finally found out how to forward my
to gain knowledge about
to find out mail from one email account to
something
another.
to get You can borrow my stapler, but make
to receive something that you
(something/someone) sure I get it back when you're done
had before
back with it.
He might get back at you for asking
to retaliate; to take revenge on
to get back at him so many tough questions during
someone
his presentation.
1) Get in the car. I'll give you a ride.
1) enter
to get in 2) I worked late last night and didn't
2) arrive
get in until after 9 PM.
I was upset that I didn't get the
to get over (something) to recover promotion, but I got over it after a
while.
I try to get together with some old
to meet (but not for the first
to get together friends from college once or twice a
time)
year.
1) I get up late on the weekends
because I have to get up really early
1) to get out of bed
to get up on weekdays.
2) to stand
2) He got up and walked to the
podium to give his speech.
Management didn't want to give in to
to reluctantly stop fighting or
to give in the union's demands, but in the end
arguing
they didn't have a choice.
to quit a habit or quit doing a I gave up checking Facebook at work.
to give (something) up
certain activity I'm trying to be more productive.
Just because we failed the first time
to give up to stop trying doesn't mean we should give up. We
just need to change a few things.

to go after 1) to follow someone 1) Pam will give her talk first, and
2) to try to achieve something Scott will go after her.
2) If we got the account, they would
be our biggest client. I'm really going
 PHRASAL VERB DEFINITION
to go against to compete; oppose
to go over to review
to submit (a report, a paper,
to hand (something) in
etc)
to hand (something) to distribute the same thing to a
out group of people
to wait for a short time
to hang on
(informal)
to keep (something) up to continue doing something
to disappoint; to not help or
to let (someone) down
support
to let (someone) in to allow to enter
to be excited about something
to look forward to
in the future
to look into to investigate
to be careful, vigilant, and take
to look out for
notice
to look (something)
to check; examine
over
to have a lot of respect for
to look up to
someone
1) to invent (a story, lie,
excuse, reason, etc.)
to make (something) 2) to resolve an argument or
up quarrel (not a separable verb
when used like this). 3) to
compensate for something
to mix (something) up to confuse two or more things
to give the same thing to many
to pass (something) out
people
to decline (usually something
to pass (something) up
good)
EXAMPLE
to go after the account.
We're going against three or four
other contractors. Be sure to bid low.
I want to go over last month's
numbers with you.
I forgot to hand in my expense
reports. Now I won't get reimbursed
until next month.
I'll start explaining the changes while
Jason hands out a copy of the new
policy.
Could you hang on for a second,
please? I'll be right there.
You've been doing really well lately.
Keep it up!
I was really depending on him to
expedite the shipping on that order.
The products are still in the
warehouse. He really let me down.
I forgot my badge again. Hopefully
someone else is in the office and can
let me in.
I'm really looking forward to having
an extended weekend next week.
Please look into some ways we can
cut costs. Every penny counts.
You must always look out for new
business opportunities.
Could you look over this report to
make sure there are no mistakes?
I really look up to her. She has been
with the company for a long time and
is really knowledgeable.
1) I don't believe their story. I think
they made it up.
2) Are they still fighting about that? I
thought they had made up a while
ago? 3) I didn't get anything
accomplished yesterday. I'm going to
have to work extra hard to make up
for it today.
I always mix their names up. Which
one is Bob, and which one is Brad?
Carly is passing out a schedule of
today's events.
Don't pass up on this great
opportunity. Place your order today.
 PHRASAL VERB DEFINITION EXAMPLE
I haven't done my taxes yet. I've been
to put (something) off to postpone
putting it off for a long time.
to put (something) How long will it take to put the scale
to assemble
together model together?
I ran into Stacey from Accounting in
to run into to meet someone unexpectedly
the supermarket yesterday.
to send (something) The product was defective. We'll
to return
back have to send it back.
I'll set up the conference call and send
to set (something) up to arrange;organize
you an invite.
We should bid low on this one. They
to shop around to compare prices
always shop around.
There was some confusion with the
to organize or resolve a new work schedule. No one is sure
to sort (something) out
problem who works on Sunday. We're calling
a meeting to sort it out.
She always shops there because she
to take (something)
to return an item knows that she can take anything
back
back that she isn't happy with.
Honestly, I don't know what I'm
going to do. The job offer is great, but
to think (something)
to consider I'm not sure if I want to leave my
over
current position. I'll have to think it
over.
1) to decrease the volume or
1) Could you turn your music down
to turn (something) strength of something (volume,
so I can take this call?
down heat, etc)
2) They turned down our proposal.
2) reject and offer
We're going to try it out for a few
to test or use something weeks and let you know what we
to try (something) out
experimentally think. If we like it, we'll place an
order.
I can't believe it's only May and I've
to use (something) up to finish the supply
used up all my sick days already.

For more business English vocabulary and useful expressions, please visit the Business
Vocabulary section of this site.

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phrasal-verbs-for-business-english/