In business meetings, phrasal verbs are often used to communicate ideas clearly and effectively. However, these verb combinations can be tricky for non-native speakers because their meanings are not always obvious. Learning them is important for anyone who wants to succeed in the workplace. 

This article will guide you through 20 commonly used phrasal verbs in business meetings, along with their meanings and examples to help you understand how to use them properly.

20 Phrasal Verbs Often Used in Business Meetings

Here are 20 essential phrasal verbs you’ll likely hear or use in business meetings, complete with their meanings and practical examples.

1. Bring up

Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic in conversation.

Examples:
He brought up the budget issue in the meeting.
Let’s not bring that up right now; we’ll discuss it later.

2. Call off

Meaning: To cancel something that was planned.

Examples:
The meeting was called off due to an emergency.
They decided to call off the project because of funding problems.

3. Look into

Meaning: To investigate or research something.

Examples:
We need to look into this issue before the next meeting.
I’ll look into the report and give you my feedback by tomorrow.

4. Come up with

Meaning: To think of or create a plan or idea.

Examples:
He came up with a brilliant plan to improve sales.
Can you come up with a solution before the meeting?

5. Follow up

Meaning: To check on something after an initial action.

Examples:
I will follow up with him next week to see how the project is going.
Please follow up on the emails we discussed during the meeting.

6. Take over

Meaning: To assume control of something, often from someone else.

Examples:
She will take over the project starting next month.
Our company plans to take over the smaller competitor.

7. Go over

Meaning: To review or examine something carefully.

Examples:
We need to go over the contract before signing it.
Can we go over the report again to make sure everything is correct?

8. Get along with

Meaning: To have a good relationship with someone.

Examples:
She gets along with everyone in the office.
It’s important to get along with your team to ensure smooth communication.

9. Run into

Meaning: To encounter something unexpectedly, often a problem or a person.

Examples:
I ran into an old colleague at the conference.
We ran into some issues with the new software during testing.

10. Point out

Meaning: To highlight or indicate something.

Examples:
He pointed out the mistake in the financial report.
I’d like to point out that we’re running out of time.

11. Back up

Meaning: To support someone or something.

Examples:
Can you back up my idea during the meeting?
Don’t forget to back up the files before the presentation.

12. Set up

Meaning: To arrange or organize something.

Examples:
They set up a meeting with the new clients.
We need to set up the room before the meeting starts.

13. Break down

Meaning: To divide something into smaller parts for easier understanding.

Examples:
Let’s break down the proposal into smaller steps.
The printer broke down right before the meeting started.

14. Fill in

Meaning: To provide missing information or to substitute for someone.

Examples:
Can you fill me in on what I missed in the meeting?
She will fill in for him while he’s on vacation.

15. Hand in

Meaning: To submit something, such as a report or document.

Examples:
Please hand in your reports by Friday.
He handed in his resignation letter last week.

16. Lay off

Meaning: To dismiss employees, usually for economic reasons.

Examples:
The company had to lay off 100 employees due to budget cuts.
They are planning to lay off workers next month.

17. Turn down

Meaning: To reject an offer or request.

Examples:
They turned down the offer because it wasn’t profitable.
I had to turn down the job because of the long commute.

18. Carry out

Meaning: To complete or accomplish something, often a task or plan.

Examples:
We need to carry out the plan as discussed in the meeting.
The team will carry out the changes starting next week.

19. Put off

Meaning: To delay or postpone something.

Examples:
They decided to put off the meeting until next week.
Don’t put off the work, or it will pile up.

20. Step down

Meaning: To resign from a position or role.

Examples:
The CEO decided to step down after 20 years in the company.
He will step down from his role at the end of the year.

Final Thoughts: Keep Practicing!

These are some of the most used phrasal verbs in Business English. You’ll often encounter them in emails, reports, and meetings. To learn these phrasal verbs well, practice is key. ELSA Speak can help you with this. It will not only help you pronounce these verbs correctly but also guide you on how to use them confidently in conversations with others.

Try making sentences with these verbs, like the examples we gave. Then, use Elsa Speak to get better at talking with them. The more you practice with Elsa Speak, talking and listening, the better you will get. So, keep going! With Elsa Speak’s help in your conversations and practice, you’ll get really good at these commonly used phrasal verbs in Business English before you know it.

More about verbs in business english here.