English Phrasal Verbs for Talking About Work and Office Life (With Meanings and Examples)

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of everyday English, especially in workplace and office conversations.

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Native speakers use them all the time in meetings, emails, and casual discussions with colleagues.

If you want to sound more natural, confident, and professional at work, learning common work-related phrasal verbs is a must.

In this guide, you’ll discover useful phrasal verbs for talking about work and office life, explained in simple and clear language.

These expressions will help you understand office conversations better, communicate ideas smoothly, and improve both your spoken and written business English.

Whether you are an employee, a job seeker, or an English learner aiming to upgrade your workplace vocabulary, this list will make your daily office communication easier and more effective.

English Phrasal Verbs for Talking About Work and Office Life

1. Carry Out

Meaning: To perform or complete a task or duty.
Example:

The manager asked us to carry out a customer satisfaction survey.
She will carry out the inspection tomorrow.

2. Set Up

Meaning: To establish or arrange something.
Example:

We need to set up a meeting with the client.
The IT team will set up your new computer.

3. Follow Up

Meaning: To check on something or take further action after an initial step.
Example:

Please follow up with the client about their feedback.
I’ll follow up on the email I sent yesterday.

4. Take On

Meaning: To accept a responsibility or task.
Example:

She decided to take on the new project.
I can’t take on any more work right now.

5. Get Ahead

Meaning: To make progress or succeed, especially in your career.
Example:

Hard work and determination can help you get ahead in your career.
He’s doing extra courses to get ahead in the industry.

6. Turn Down

Meaning: To reject or refuse an offer or request.
Example:

I had to turn down the job offer because the salary was too low.
She turned down the proposal for a new project.

7. Put Off

Meaning: To delay or postpone something.
Example:

We can’t put off this decision any longer.
The meeting was put off until next week.

8. Run Out Of

Meaning: To use all of something and have none left.
Example:

We ran out of paper for the printer.
Time is running out; let’s finalize the report.

9. Take Over

Meaning: To assume control or responsibility for something.
Example:

She will take over as team leader next month.
Can you take over this task while I’m on leave?

10. Look Into

Meaning: To investigate or examine something.
Example:

We need to look into the reason for the delay.
The manager is looking into complaints from the staff.

11. Keep Up With

Meaning: To stay at the same level as something or someone.
Example:

It’s important to keep up with industry trends.
He works hard to keep up with deadlines.

12. Go Over

Meaning: To review or check something carefully.
Example:

Let’s go over the report one more time before submitting it.
The trainer went over the safety procedures with the team.

13. Call Off

Meaning: To cancel an event or plan.
Example:

The meeting was called off due to an emergency.
They had to call off the project because of budget issues.

14. Bring Up

Meaning: To mention or introduce a topic in conversation.
Example:

She brought up the issue of overtime during the meeting.
I want to bring up a new idea for the campaign.

15. Fill In

Meaning: To complete or provide information, or to temporarily replace someone.
Example:

Could you fill in this form for me?
She will fill in for the receptionist while she’s on vacation.

16. Hand In

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

Please hand in your reports by Friday.
I handed in my resignation yesterday.

17. Work On

Meaning: To spend time improving or completing something.
Example:

He’s working on a presentation for the conference.
I need to work on my communication skills.

18. Point Out

Meaning: To highlight or indicate something.
Example:

She pointed out a mistake in the report.
I’d like to point out that this project needs more funding.

19. Step Down

Meaning: To resign from a position or role.
Example:

The CEO has decided to step down after 10 years.
He stepped down as project manager to focus on his health.

20. Break Down

Meaning: To stop working (for machines) or to divide into smaller parts.
Example:

The printer broke down just before the meeting.
Let’s break down the project into smaller tasks.

21. Cut Back

Meaning: To reduce something, such as costs or expenses.
Example:

The company is cutting back on unnecessary expenses.
We need to cut back on our energy consumption.

22. Step Up

Meaning: To take action or responsibility, especially in a difficult situation.
Example:

She stepped up to lead the team when the manager left.
It’s time for everyone to step up and meet the deadline.

23. Clock In/Out

Meaning: To record the time you start or finish work.
Example:

Don’t forget to clock in when you arrive.
I usually clock out at 6 PM.

24. Deal With

Meaning: To handle or manage a situation or task.
Example:

He’s good at dealing with difficult clients.
I’ll deal with the emails after lunch.

25. Hold Up

Meaning: To cause a delay or to remain strong.
Example:

The traffic held up the delivery of the packages.
The proposal is holding up well during discussions.

26. Wrap Up

Meaning: To finish or complete something.
Example:

Let’s wrap up the meeting and review the action items.
She wrapped up her presentation with a Q&A session.

27. Come Up With

Meaning: To think of or create something, like an idea or solution.
Example:

He came up with a brilliant plan for the campaign.
Can you come up with a way to improve efficiency?

28. Keep At

Meaning: To continue working on something, even if it’s difficult.
Example:

Don’t give up; just keep at it!
She’s been keeping at her project despite the challenges.

29. Give In

Meaning: To stop resisting or to agree to something.
Example:

The manager finally gave in to the team’s request for flexible hours.
He didn’t want to, but he gave in to the pressure.

30. Run By

Meaning: To share an idea or plan with someone to get their opinion.
Example:

I’d like to run this idea by you before the meeting.
She ran the changes by her manager for approval.

Final Thoughts

Phrasal verbs related to work and office life are widely used in professional English.

By learning these work-related phrasal verbs, you can talk more confidently about your job, tasks, meetings, and responsibilities.

These expressions are useful for students, job seekers, and working professionals.

Practice them regularly, and your workplace English will become more natural, fluent, and effective.

FAQs About Work and Office Phrasal Verbs

1. What are work-related phrasal verbs?

Work-related phrasal verbs are verb combinations commonly used in office conversations, meetings, emails, and workplace communication.

2. Why should English learners study office phrasal verbs?

Learning workplace phrasal verbs helps learners sound more natural, understand colleagues better, and communicate professionally.

3. What are some common phrasal verbs used at work?

Popular examples include:

Follow up
Set up
Take on
Look into
Wrap up

4. What does “follow up” mean in business English?

“Follow up” means checking progress or taking additional action after an earlier step.

Example:
I’ll follow up with the client tomorrow.

5. What does “set up” mean at work?

“Set up” means to arrange, organize, or establish something.

Example:
We need to set up a meeting.

6. Why are phrasal verbs important for workplace English?

Phrasal verbs appear frequently in emails, meetings, presentations, and casual office conversations.

7. Are office phrasal verbs useful for job interviews?

Yes. Using workplace vocabulary correctly can improve communication during interviews and professional conversations.

8. What does “take on” mean in office communication?

“Take on” means accepting responsibilities, projects, or tasks.

9. How can I learn business phrasal verbs faster?

You can:

Practice daily conversations
Read emails and business articles
Watch workplace videos
Use phrasal verbs in sentences

10. What does “wrap up” mean in meetings?

“Wrap up” means to finish or conclude something.

Example:
Let’s wrap up the meeting.

11. Are phrasal verbs formal or informal?

Some are informal, but many workplace phrasal verbs are commonly accepted in professional communication.

12. What does “look into” mean at work?

It means to investigate or examine something.

Example:
We need to look into this issue.

13. Can workplace phrasal verbs improve speaking fluency?

Yes. They make conversations sound more natural and improve confidence in professional settings.

14. Which phrasal verbs are useful for meetings?

Useful meeting phrasal verbs include:

Bring up
Go over
Follow up
Wrap up
Run by

15. Who should learn office phrasal verbs?

These phrasal verbs are useful for:

Students
ESL learners
Job seekers
Professionals
Business English learners