12 Phrasal Verbs for Business Meetings (Sound More Natural)

In my 17 years of teaching, I’ve noticed that the biggest hurdle for advanced English learners isn't big words—it's phrasal verbs. Native speakers use them constantly in meetings. If you only use formal verbs like "discuss" or "summarize," you might sound a bit like a textbook.

Here are 12 phrasal verbs that will help you sound more like a leader in your next meeting.

1. Kick off

Meaning: To start the meeting. Example: "Let's kick off by reviewing last week's sales figures."

2. Bring up

Meaning: To mention a topic or introduce a point. Example: "I’d like to bring up the issue of the budget for next quarter."

3. Go over

Meaning: To review or examine something in detail. Example: "Could we go over the main points of the contract one more time?"

4. Run through

Meaning: To quickly explain or summarize something. Example: "Let me just run through the agenda before we start."

5. Point out

Meaning: To draw attention to a specific fact or detail. Example: "I want to point out that we’ve actually exceeded our targets."

6. Follow up

Meaning: To check on something or take further action after a meeting. Example: "I will follow up with the client after our call today."

7. Wrap up

Meaning: To finish or conclude a meeting. Example: "Let's wrap up by assigning the next steps to each team member."

8. Come up with

Meaning: To suggest or think of an idea or plan. Example: "We need to come up with a new strategy for our social media."

9. Look into

Meaning: To investigate or research something. Example: "I'll look into the logistics costs and report back to you."

10. Call off

Meaning: To cancel something. Example: "The meeting was called off because the manager was unwell."

11. Put off

Meaning: To postpone or delay something. Example: "We decided to put off the launch until we have more data."

12. Take over

Meaning: To assume control or responsibility. Example: "Sarah will take over the project while I am on vacation."

Teacher's Tip: Phrasal verbs can be tricky because their meaning changes based on the context. Start by picking two from this list and using them in your next email. Once you feel comfortable, try using them in a live call. For more tips on professional language, see my post on Business English Business English, Vocabulary, Phrasal Verbs

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