Meetings are a major part of professional life. You need to share ideas, agree on plans, and solve problems. Using the right words makes you sound like a native speaker. It also helps you get your point across without using long sentences. Use these 15 phrasal verbs to participate actively in your next meeting.
This guide is part of our list of Business English Phrasal Verbs.
Starting the Session
You set the tone for the meeting in the first five minutes. Leaders use specific verbs to invite participation and define the goal.
Bring up – You use this to introduce a new topic for the group to talk about. It is an active way to move the conversation to a new point.
- Example: Please bring up any concerns you have about the timeline for the software update.
- Usage tip: This is a separable verb. You can say bring it up or bring up the topic.
Kick off – You use this to start the meeting or a specific project. It sounds more energetic than the word start.
- Example: I want to kick off today by reviewing our sales goals from last month.
- Usage tip: You can also use this as a noun. A kickoff meeting is the very first meeting of a new project.
Managing the Discussion
Once the meeting starts, you must manage the flow of information. These verbs help you stay organized.
Go over – You use this when you need to review a document, a list, or a set of data. It implies a careful examination of the details.
- Example: Let’s go over the main points of the contract together to ensure we agree on everything.
- Usage tip: This is inseparable. You always go over something.
Point out – You use this to highlight a specific fact or a mistake that others might miss. It draws the attention of the group to a single detail.
- Example: I would like to point out that our shipping costs decreased by ten percent last month.
- Usage tip: Use this when you have data to support your claim.
Circle back – You use this when a topic is too difficult to solve right now. You move to the next item and return to the hard topic later in the meeting.
- Example: We are stuck on the price. Let’s circle back to it after lunch when we have more energy.
- Usage tip: This keeps the meeting moving so you do not waste time on a single problem.
Get across – You use this when you want to make sure people understand your main idea. It focuses on the success of your communication.
- Example: I am trying to get across the importance of customer service in our new strategy.
- Usage tip: This is often used when you feel people are confused.
Solving Problems and Deciding
The end of the meeting is for making decisions and creating a plan.
Hammer out – You use this for a long or difficult discussion where you finally reach an agreement. It implies that the process was not easy.
- Example: It took three hours, but we managed to hammer out the final terms of the partnership.
- Usage tip: Use this to show that you worked hard to reach a result.
Work out – You use this when you need to find a solution to a problem or organize a plan. It shows you are thinking about the steps.
- Example: We need to work out who will lead the team while the manager is away in July.
- Usage tip: This is common in brainstorming sessions.
Finalizing Action Items
Before you leave the room, you must define the next steps.
Follow up – You use this to check on the progress of a task after the meeting ends. It ensures that the work actually gets done.
- Example: I will follow up with an email to confirm our decisions and assign the tasks.
- Usage tip: This is the most important verb for project management.
Sign off – You use this when a manager or a client gives their official approval for a plan.
- Example: We can start the work as soon as the director signs off on the budget.
- Usage tip: This usually refers to a signature or a formal email approval.
Phrasal Verbs for Virtual Meetings
Virtual meetings have their own set of rules. You use specific phrasal verbs to manage technology and keep people engaged when they are not in the same room. Use these expressions to handle technical issues and lead online discussions.
Manage the Technology
Log on / Log in – You use this to enter the virtual meeting room.
- Example: Please log on five minutes early to test your microphone and camera.
- Usage tip: These are often used interchangeably in office tech support.
Cut out – You use this when someone’s internet connection is bad and their voice stops and starts.
- Example: Sorry, your audio is cutting out. Could you repeat your last point?
- Usage tip: This describes a temporary break in the connection.
Break up – This is similar to cutting out, but it usually refers to a distorted voice or a frozen screen.
- Example: You are breaking up a bit. You might need to turn off your video to save bandwidth.
Speak up – You use this to ask someone to talk louder because you cannot hear them through your speakers.
- Example: Could you speak up a little? Your volume is quite low on my end.
Manage the Interaction
Online meetings can be difficult because you cannot see body language easily. These verbs help you manage the flow of the conversation.
Join in You use this to invite someone to participate in the call.
- Example: I would like to ask the design team to join in now and share their ideas.
- Usage tip: This encourages collaboration in a virtual space.
Why Phrasal Verbs Matter for Your Work Meetings
Professional growth requires more than technical skills. You must communicate with your team in a way that feels natural. If you only use formal verbs, you might sound like a textbook. This creates a barrier between you and your colleagues. When you use phrasal verbs, you show that you understand the nuance of the English language. You sound more confident. People listen to confident speakers. You become a person who can lead a room and drive a project forward.
While learning these 15 expressions will certainly make you more effective in meetings, professional fluency is an ongoing journey. If you want to go deeper into business English, communication and presentation skills, structured learning can help. You can find a variety of Free Business English Online Courses that allow you to study at your own pace and build a strong foundation for your career.
Wrapping Up
Good communication helps you express feelings clearly and avoid misunderstandings. Using these phrasal verbs helps you express yourself naturally and build positive communication to keep your relationship strong. Practice often and use these verbs to talk about your feelings and solve problems.
Quick Quiz for Phrasal Verb Learners
Read the following meeting transcript. Try to identify which verbs belong in the gaps.
- Let’s ________ this meeting by looking at the agenda.
- I need to ________ a problem with the new server.
- Can we ________ the budget figures one more time?
- We should ________ to the marketing plan once the CEO arrives.
- I hope we can ________ an agreement by the end of the day.
(Answers: 1. Kick off, 2. Bring up, 3. Go over, 4. Circle back, 5. Hammer out)
Ready to move beyond meetings? Explore our list of 50 Business English Phrasal Verbs.
