Phrasal Verbs for Work – Meaning & Examples

“Why didn’t I get the job? I said all the right things.”

That’s what one of my students told me after a job interview.

She had the right experience, wore her best blazer, and spoke English confidently.

But when I asked her to recall some of her answers, I noticed something missing:
👉 She was using textbook English, not natural workplace English.

See, native speakers sprinkle their conversations with phrasal verbs—especially at work.

These little two- or three-word combos (like follow up, step in, or hand over) might seem casual, but they carry a huge amount of weight in professional settings.

So, if you’re learning English for your career—whether it’s for interviews, emails, meetings, or watercooler chats—learning phrasal verbs for work will help you sound more fluent, confident, and… well, like you belong.

What Are Phrasal Verbs, Really?

Let’s quickly define them (just so we’re on the same page):

A phrasal verb = a verb + a preposition/adverb (or both) that together make a new meaning.

💡 Example:

“Look up” in a dictionary = to search for information.
“Look up to someone” = to admire them.

The trick? You can’t always guess their meanings just by looking. That’s why context is everything.

Why Are Phrasal Verbs Important at Work?

Here’s the deal:

They’re everywhere. Native speakers use them without thinking: “Let’s wrap up the meeting,” “He took over the project,” or “We’ll follow up on that tomorrow.”
They sound natural. Using phrasal verbs makes your English sound more fluid and less robotic.
They’re often more concise. Compare “cancel” vs. “call off.” Which one are you more likely to hear in an office chat?

As someone who has coached working professionals and jobseekers for over a decade, I can tell you—mastering these will give you an edge.

Let’s Dive In: 35+ Essential Phrasal Verbs for Work

Below are some of the most common phrasal verbs used in the workplace, broken down into categories to help you remember and use them easily.

1. Getting Started at Work

These verbs are often used at the beginning of the day or a project.

✅ Show up

➡ to arrive
Example: She showed up late to the client meeting.
Tip: Use it casually; “arrive” is more formal.

✅ Set up

➡ to arrange or prepare something
Example: I’ll set up the Zoom call.

✅ Kick off

➡ to start (something)
Example: We kicked off the campaign last week.
(Bonus: This has sporty origins—think football!)

✅ Take on

➡ to accept responsibility
Example: I’ve taken on a new project.

2. Daily Communication

These are great for emails, meetings, and chats.

✅ Follow up (on)

➡ to continue or check progress
Example: I’ll follow up with the client tomorrow.
💡 Real-world tip: I once had a manager tell me, “People forget. The ones who follow up get remembered.”

✅ Bring up

➡ to mention a topic
Example: She brought up the budget issues in the meeting.

✅ Go over

➡ to review something
Example: Let’s go over the presentation slides before we present.

✅ Point out

➡ to highlight or draw attention to
Example: He pointed out a mistake in the report.

3. Teamwork and Collaboration

You’ll hear these when working with others.

✅ Pitch in

➡ to help out
Example: Everyone pitched in to meet the deadline.
Tone: Very team-oriented and friendly.

✅ Back someone up

➡ to support someone
Example: Thanks for backing me up during the meeting.

✅ Hand over

➡ to pass control or responsibility
Example: I’ll hand over the account to the new manager.

✅ Step in

➡ to take action or help, usually suddenly
Example: The team leader stepped in when things got messy.

4. Managing Workload

Handling multiple tasks or pressure? These are your go-tos.

✅ Take over

➡ to assume control
Example: Can you take over while I’m on leave?

✅ Catch up (on)

➡ to do something you didn’t have time for earlier
Example: I need to catch up on emails.

✅ Keep up (with)

➡ to maintain the same pace or level
Example: It’s hard to keep up with all these new tools.

✅ Burn out

➡ to become exhausted from overwork
Example: He burned out after working 80 hours a week.
🧠 Mental health tip: If you’re feeling this way, it’s okay to ask for help or take a break.

5. Dealing with Problems

Because no job is perfect, right?

✅ Run into (a problem)

➡ to encounter something unexpectedly
Example: We ran into some issues with the software update.

✅ Sort out

➡ to solve or organize
Example: I’ve sorted out the problem with payroll.

✅ Call off

➡ to cancel
Example: We had to call off the event due to bad weather.

✅ Figure out

➡ to understand or solve
Example: I finally figured out why the printer wasn’t working.

6. Meetings & Presentations

Nail your next team talk.

✅ Wrap up

➡ to finish
Example: Let’s wrap up by 3 PM.

✅ Put off

➡ to delay or postpone
Example: We had to put off the meeting till Friday.

✅ Break down

➡ to explain in detail
Example: Can you break down the budget for us?

✅ Lay out

➡ to present or organize clearly
Example: She laid out the plan in a clear, step-by-step manner.

7. Moving Up and On

These are about promotions, transitions, or leaving.

✅ Move up

➡ to get promoted
Example: He moved up quickly in the company.

✅ Step down

➡ to resign or leave a position
Example: She stepped down after 10 years as CEO.

✅ Hand in (resignation)

➡ to formally give your resignation
Example: I handed in my resignation yesterday.

✅ Take off

➡ to become successful or leave quickly
Example 1: The startup really took off last year.
Example 2: I have to take off early today. (leave)

Real-World Story: When “Take Over” Changed Everything

A few years back, I was training a group of young professionals in a tech firm. One of them—let’s call him Raj—was hesitant to lead projects even though he was skilled.

During a simulation, I encouraged him to take over a task when the leader froze.

He did.

Later that month, his manager asked him to step in during a client pitch. That single move started his path to becoming a team lead.

Moral of the story?

Don’t just learn phrasal verbs. Use them. They reflect action—and action builds careers.

Tips to Learn Phrasal Verbs Faster

Here’s what’s worked for my students (and me):

🔹 Group them by theme.

Just like this blog post! Work, travel, emotions—keep them contextual.

🔹 Use flashcards (physical or digital).

Apps like Anki or Quizlet help you review quickly.

🔹 Create mini-dialogues.

Instead of memorizing definitions, try this:

Manager: Can you take over this report?
You: Sure! I’ll wrap it up by Friday.

🔹 Listen for them in real life.

Watch office dramas (The Office, Suits, Brooklyn 99), listen to work podcasts, or follow LinkedIn Learning videos.

🔹 Practice aloud.

Saying them helps with recall. I ask my students to record 1-minute voice notes using 3 phrasal verbs per day.

Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)

❌ Using a phrasal verb too formally

Some, like call off or burn out, are more casual. Be careful using them in formal writing.

✅ Alternative:

Instead of “We called off the conference,” try “We cancelled the conference” in formal emails.

❌ Ignoring word order

With separable verbs (e.g., hand over, bring up), word order matters.

✔ “He handed the file over to me.”
✔ “He handed over the file.”
✘ “He handed to me over the file.” ← Nope.

Final Thoughts: Your Career, Your Voice

Learning phrasal verbs isn’t about sounding fancy—it’s about communicating naturally in professional spaces.

You don’t need to use all 35 in one email (please don’t!).

But if you sprinkle them in here and there, you’ll sound more like someone who belongs in the room—and not just someone who studied to be there.

🎯 Your Action Plan

Choose 5 phrasal verbs from this post.
Write your own sentences or a mini-dialogue.
Say them out loud. Record yourself if you like.
Try using 1–2 in your next email or meeting.
Rinse, repeat, level up.

One Last Thing

If you’re serious about growing in your career through English, don’t just “get by” with formal textbook phrases.

Speak the way real professionals do.

Start using these phrasal verbs for work, and you won’t just be speaking English—you’ll be working in English.