200 Business Collocations
You Need to Know

chair a meeting

To lead or manage a meeting as the person in charge.

"Sarah will chair the meeting tomorrow while the director is away."

draw your attention to

To point out a specific detail so others focus on it.

"I'd like to draw your attention to the Q3 revenue figures on page four."

float an idea

To suggest something tentatively to gauge people's reactions.

"Let's just float the idea of a four-day workweek and see how the team reacts."

table a discussion

To postpone a topic until a future meeting. (Note: in the US, "table" means the opposite — to bring to the floor.)

"We're running out of time, so let's table this discussion until next week."

reach a consensus

To arrive at a general agreement that all parties can accept.

"After two hours of debate, the committee finally reached a consensus."

set the agenda

To decide on the list of topics to be discussed.

"The CEO will set the agenda for the quarterly strategy meeting."

raise a concern

To formally mention a worry or issue during a discussion.

"The project lead raised a concern about the timeline during the briefing."

take the floor

To begin speaking to a group, having been given the opportunity.

"When you are ready, please take the floor and present your proposal."

wrap up the meeting

To bring a meeting to a close, often with a summary.

"Let's wrap things up — can someone summarize the action items?"

take the minutes

To write an official record of what is said and decided in a meeting.

"Could you take the minutes for today's session? We'll circulate them by Friday."

open the floor

To invite others to speak or ask questions.

"I'll now open the floor to any questions from the team."

call a vote

To ask everyone in a group to formally express their opinion.

"If we can't agree, I'd like to call a vote on the two remaining options."

move on to the next point

To transition from one topic to the next on the agenda.

"That covers the budget. Let's move on to the next item on the agenda."

summarize the key points

To briefly restate the most important things discussed.

"Before we close, let me summarize the key points we agreed on today."

assign action items

To give specific tasks to specific people at the end of a meeting.

"Before we adjourn, let's assign action items and agree on deadlines."

put something to a vote

To allow a group to decide something by voting.

"We'll put the proposal to a vote at the end of today's session."

adjourn the meeting

To formally end a meeting.

"Seeing no further business, I'd like to adjourn the meeting."

bring something to the table

To contribute a useful skill, idea, or quality to a group discussion.

"Each department needs to bring something to the table in terms of cost savings."

get buy-in

To gain the support and approval of key people for an idea or plan.

"Before we proceed, we need to get buy-in from the department heads."

put forward a proposal

To officially suggest or present a plan for consideration.

"The finance team will put forward a proposal for the new budgeting system."

stay on track

To continue following the plan or agenda without going off-topic.

"We have a lot to cover today, so let's try to stay on track."

go over the agenda

To review the list of topics at the start of a meeting.

"Let's quickly go over the agenda before we dive in."

defer a decision

To delay making a decision until more information is available.

"Given the uncertainty, the board has decided to defer the decision by one month."

second a motion

To formally support a proposal that has been put forward for a vote.

"I'd like to second the motion to approve the revised budget."

speak off the record

To say something unofficially that should not be documented.

"Can I speak off the record for a moment before we continue?"

touch base

To briefly make contact with someone to share or check information.

"I just wanted to touch base regarding the upcoming deadline."

circle back

To return to a topic or person at a later time.

"Let me check the figures and I'll circle back to you this afternoon."

put it in writing

To create an official written record of something agreed verbally.

"We agree on the terms, but we need to put it in writing before we start."

follow up on

To check the progress of a previous request or contact.

"I'm writing to follow up on the invoice I sent last Monday."

keep someone in the loop

To make sure someone continues to receive relevant information.

"Please keep me in the loop as the project develops."

cc someone

To send a copy of an email to a third party so they are informed.

"Could you cc me on any correspondence with the client?"

acknowledge receipt

To confirm that you have received a document or message.

"Please acknowledge receipt of this email within 24 hours."

pending your confirmation

Waiting for someone to officially agree or confirm before proceeding.

"The booking is reserved pending your confirmation by Friday."

refer to our previous conversation

To direct someone's attention to an earlier discussion.

"Further to our call, I am writing to refer to our previous conversation."

bring to your attention

To inform someone of something important they may not know about.

"I wanted to bring to your attention a potential conflict in the schedule."

attach for your review

To include a file with an email for the recipient to look at.

"Please find the updated contract attached for your review."

look forward to hearing from you

A polite closing phrase expressing expectation of a response.

"We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience."

as agreed / per our agreement

Referring back to something previously decided by both parties.

"As agreed in our call, I am sending the revised proposal today."

take action on

To do something about an issue that requires a response.

"Could you please take action on the overdue invoices listed below?"

respond at your earliest convenience

A polite way to ask for a reply without specifying an exact time.

"Please respond at your earliest convenience so we can confirm the booking."

give the green light

To give official permission for something to proceed.

"Once the client gives the green light, we can begin production."

escalate the issue

To refer a problem to a higher authority when it cannot be resolved at your level.

"If this is not resolved by Monday, I will need to escalate the issue."

reach out to

To make contact with someone, often for the first time or after a gap.

"Feel free to reach out to me directly if you have any questions."

flag a concern

To draw attention to a problem or potential risk.

"I wanted to flag a concern about the wording in section 4 of the contract."

request an extension

To formally ask for more time to complete a task.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, we need to request an extension on the deadline."

express interest in

To formally communicate that you are interested in something.

"I am writing to express my interest in the Senior Logistics Coordinator role."

outline the next steps

To explain what will happen after the current stage.

"This email is to outline the next steps following our meeting yesterday."

confirm the details

To verify that all the arrangements are accurate and agreed upon.

"I'm writing to confirm the details of our meeting scheduled for Thursday."

address the issue

To deal with or respond to a problem or concern directly.

"Your team needs to address the issue with the payment portal immediately."

copy into the email

To add someone to an email thread so they can see the exchange.

"I've copied our logistics coordinator into the email so she can coordinate pickup."

streamline the process

To make a system simpler and more efficient by removing unnecessary steps.

"We need to streamline the routing process to cut down on fuel costs."

meet a deadline

To complete a task by the required time. (Never "make a deadline.")

"If the freight is delayed at customs, we will struggle to meet the deadline."

mitigate risk

To take action to reduce the likelihood or severity of a potential problem.

"Diversifying our suppliers is the best way to mitigate risk during shortages."

allocate resources

To distribute money, time, staff, or materials to a specific task or project.

"We need to allocate more resources to the railyard expansion project."

set a milestone

To establish a significant point in a project plan that marks progress.

"The project plan should set clear milestones for each phase of the rollout."

draw up a plan

To create a detailed written plan, contract, or schedule.

"Could you draw up a plan for the warehouse reorganization by Friday?"

roll out a plan / system

To introduce or launch something in stages across an organization.

"We will roll out the new software to all departments by end of quarter."

monitor progress

To regularly check how a project or task is developing against the plan.

"The project manager will monitor progress weekly and report to the board."

hit a bottleneck

To reach a point in a process where progress is significantly slowed.

"Production hit a bottleneck at the packaging stage due to machine failure."

scale up operations

To increase the size or capacity of business activities.

"If demand continues to grow, we'll need to scale up operations at the main facility."

carry out a plan

To do or perform the planned activities; to execute a strategy.

"The team was tasked with carrying out the quality audit on all three sites."

conduct an audit

To formally carry out an official examination of accounts, processes, or quality.

"An independent firm will conduct an audit of our inventory management system."

coordinate efforts

To organize different teams or people so they work together effectively.

"The two departments need to coordinate their efforts to avoid duplicating work."

run behind schedule

To be progressing more slowly than planned.

"The construction project is currently running behind schedule by three weeks."

deliver on time and on budget

To complete a project within the agreed timeframe and financial limits.

"Our reputation depends on our ability to deliver on time and on budget."

outsource work

To hire an external company to perform tasks instead of doing them internally.

"We have decided to outsource our IT support to reduce overhead costs."

meet targets

To achieve the goals that were set in advance.

"The sales team consistently met their targets throughout the fiscal year."

set priorities

To decide which tasks are most important and should be done first.

"With so many projects running simultaneously, we need to set clear priorities."

assess the situation

To carefully evaluate circumstances before deciding what to do.

"Let's assess the situation before committing to a response."

put in place measures

To establish systems, procedures, or safeguards.

"We need to put in place stronger quality control measures immediately."

track record

A record of past achievements or failures that indicates likely future performance.

"We chose that supplier based on their strong track record of on-time delivery."

plan capacity

To determine the production volume or staff levels needed to meet demand.

"Capacity planning for Q4 needs to account for the holiday surge in orders."

resolve an issue

To find and implement a solution to a problem.

"Our technical team worked overnight to resolve the issue with the tracking system."

develop a contingency plan

To prepare an alternative course of action in case the primary plan fails.

"Every logistics operation should develop a contingency plan for port disruptions."

hand over responsibility

To formally transfer a task or role from one person to another.

"After the transition period, Ahmed will hand over responsibility for client accounts."

gain a competitive edge

To achieve an advantage over rival companies or competitors.

"Upgrading our logistics software will help us gain a competitive edge."

weigh the options

To carefully consider different available choices before deciding.

"Before signing the contract, let's weigh our options carefully."

drive growth

To actively cause the business to expand, improve, or succeed.

"The new campaign is expected to drive growth in the Asian market by 20%."

make an informed decision

To decide based on proper knowledge and evidence, not guesswork.

"We need more market data before we can make an informed decision."

set strategic goals

To establish long-term objectives that guide the direction of the organization.

"The board will meet in January to set strategic goals for the next five years."

capture market share

To increase the percentage of total industry sales that your company holds.

"The price reduction strategy is designed to capture market share from our main competitor."

pivot the strategy

To make a significant change in direction in response to new information or challenges.

"After poor Q2 results, the company decided to pivot its strategy toward the B2B market."

benchmark against

To compare your performance to industry standards or leading competitors.

"We regularly benchmark our operations against the top five players in the sector."

expand into new markets

To begin selling or operating in new geographic or demographic areas.

"The five-year plan includes a target to expand into three new Southeast Asian markets."

conduct a SWOT analysis

To formally assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing a business.

"Before the merger, both teams will conduct a SWOT analysis."

align with company goals

To ensure that actions or decisions are consistent with the organization's broader objectives.

"Every department's KPIs must align with the overall company goals for the year."

pose a risk

To present a potential danger or negative consequence.

"Supply chain instability continues to pose a significant risk to our delivery timelines."

build a business case

To compile the evidence and reasoning that justifies an investment or change.

"You'll need to build a strong business case before the board will approve the budget."

seize an opportunity

To take advantage of a favorable situation quickly and decisively.

"The acquisition allows us to seize a major opportunity in the renewable energy sector."

identify key stakeholders

To determine who has an interest in or influence over a project or decision.

"The first step is to identify key stakeholders and understand their needs."

take a calculated risk

To make a decision that involves risk, but only after careful assessment.

"Entering the new market was a calculated risk that ultimately paid off."

revise the plan

To update or change a plan based on new information or circumstances.

"Following the market downturn, the team was asked to revise the plan significantly."

diversify revenue streams

To create multiple different sources of income to reduce dependency on one.

"The board recommended a strategy to diversify revenue streams before the end of Q3."

leverage expertise

To use existing skills, assets, or advantages to the fullest extent possible.

"We can leverage our existing expertise in cold-chain logistics to win this contract."

establish a presence

To become known and active in a new market or region.

"The goal for year one is to establish a presence in the Ontario market."

measure ROI

To calculate the financial return generated by an investment.

"We track all campaigns closely to measure ROI and justify the marketing spend."

stay ahead of the curve

To be more advanced or innovative than others in your field.

"Investing in AI now will help us stay ahead of the curve as the industry evolves."

formulate a strategy

To carefully develop a detailed plan of action.

"The leadership team convened to formulate a strategy for the post-merger integration."

reserve the right to

To keep the power or authority to do something at a later time if needed.

"The company reserves the right to modify these terms with 30 days' notice."

course correct

To make adjustments to a plan or direction when it's not working as intended.

"The mid-year review gave us a chance to course correct before the end of Q3."

reach an agreement

To successfully arrive at a deal that both parties accept.

"After three rounds of talks, both sides finally reached an agreement."

negotiate the terms

To discuss and try to change the specific conditions of a contract or deal.

"We have four weeks to negotiate the terms before the offer expires."

sign a contract

To put your signature on a legal document to make it official.

"Both parties are expected to sign the contract at Friday's closing meeting."

make a counteroffer

To respond to an offer with a different proposal.

"They offered $2.1 million, and we decided to make a counteroffer of $2.4 million."

walk away from the deal

To choose not to accept an offer and end the negotiation.

"If they won't improve the warranty terms, we are prepared to walk away."

draw up a contract

To write the official legal document outlining the agreed terms.

"Our legal team will draw up the contract based on the agreed terms."

breach a contract

To fail to fulfill the obligations set out in a legal agreement.

"Failure to deliver within 60 days would constitute a breach of contract."

come to terms with

To accept or agree on a set of conditions.

"Both companies eventually came to terms on the revenue-sharing model."

offer a concession / discount

To give up something or reduce the price to make a deal more attractive.

"We offered a 5% discount in exchange for a 24-month commitment."

set conditions

To establish requirements that must be met before an agreement is finalized.

"The lender set conditions on the loan, including quarterly financial reporting."

hold firm on a position

To refuse to change your stance during a negotiation.

"Despite the pressure, our team held firm on the payment schedule."

close a deal

To finalize and formally complete a business agreement or sale.

"The sales director flew to Toronto specifically to close the deal in person."

meet someone halfway

To compromise by accepting some of the other party's conditions.

"We can't accept all their terms, but we're willing to meet them halfway."

accept / reject an offer

To agree to or decline a proposal made by the other party.

"After reviewing the offer, the board voted to reject it and make a counteroffer."

conduct due diligence

To thoroughly investigate a company or deal before committing to it.

"Before the acquisition, our team conducted thorough due diligence on all financials."

sign an NDA

To sign a non-disclosure agreement that legally prevents sharing sensitive information.

"All parties must sign an NDA before we share the product development roadmap."

dispute a clause

To formally disagree with a specific section of a contract.

"Our lawyers disputed the liability clause and requested significant revisions."

put in a bid / tender

To submit a formal offer or proposal for a contract or project.

"We are planning to put in a competitive bid for the government infrastructure contract."

leverage your position

To use your advantages to negotiate better terms.

"With three competing offers, we were able to leverage our position effectively."

terminate a contract

To officially end a legal agreement before its natural expiration.

"Either party may terminate the contract with 90 days' written notice."

hammer out the details

To work hard until all the fine points of an agreement are resolved.

"The lawyers spent two days hammering out the details of the licensing agreement."

enter into an agreement

To formally begin a legal or business arrangement with another party.

"Both companies agreed to enter into a partnership for the next three years."

grant exclusive rights

To give one party the sole permission to do something in a specific territory or market.

"The manufacturer granted exclusive rights to distribute the product in Western Canada."

renew a contract

To extend a contract for an additional period after it expires.

"The client has indicated they intend to renew the contract for another two years."

binding agreement

A contract that is legally enforceable and must be honored by all parties.

"Once signed, this becomes a legally binding agreement that neither party can easily exit."

cut costs

To reduce the amount of money being spent on operations or resources.

"The board instructed all departments to cut costs by 15% before year-end."

break even

To reach the point where revenue exactly covers costs, with no profit or loss.

"We expect to break even within 18 months of launching the new product line."

exceed the budget

To spend more money than was planned or allocated.

"The renovation project exceeded the budget by nearly $200,000."

generate revenue

To produce income or money through business activities.

"The new service line is expected to generate significant revenue within the first year."

secure funding

To successfully obtain the money needed to finance a project or business.

"The startup managed to secure funding of $5 million from three venture capital firms."

balance the books

To ensure that a company's accounts are accurate and income equals expenditure.

"The accounting team works every Friday to balance the books for the week."

issue an invoice

To send a formal bill requesting payment for goods or services.

"We will issue the invoice once the final delivery has been confirmed."

settle a debt

To pay off an outstanding financial obligation.

"The company prioritized settling its short-term debts before pursuing expansion."

write off a loss

To officially record something as a loss or worthless for accounting purposes.

"The company decided to write off the bad debt from the collapsed supplier contract."

absorb the costs

To take on extra expenses without passing them on to clients or customers.

"To maintain the client relationship, we agreed to absorb the additional shipping costs."

set a budget

To determine and assign an amount of money available for spending on something.

"Each department must set a budget and submit it for approval by the 10th."

manage cash flow

To control the timing of money coming in and going out of a business.

"For small businesses, learning to manage cash flow is as important as making sales."

turn a profit

To begin making more money than you spend; to become profitable.

"The new division is expected to turn a profit within its second year of operation."

cost overrun

When the actual costs of a project exceed the initial estimates.

"A significant cost overrun on the infrastructure project delayed all other initiatives."

bear the cost

To be responsible for paying for something.

"Under the revised agreement, the supplier will bear the cost of all returns."

raise / lower the price

To increase or decrease the amount charged for a product or service.

"Fuel cost increases forced us to raise the price of freight services by 8%."

incur expenses / losses

To experience or be subject to financial costs or losses.

"Delayed shipments caused us to incur significant additional expenses."

profit margin

The percentage of revenue remaining after all costs have been deducted.

"Our profit margins are too thin to absorb another round of supplier price increases."

return on investment (ROI)

The financial gain relative to the amount invested, usually expressed as a percentage.

"The training programme delivered a measurable return on investment within six months."

raise capital

To gather money from investors or other sources to fund business activities.

"The founders are currently working to raise capital for their Series A round."

issue a financial forecast

To publish an estimate of future financial performance.

"The CFO will issue a revised financial forecast at next month's investor call."

underwrite the risk / cost

To accept financial responsibility for something, typically in insurance or investment.

"The bank agreed to underwrite the cost of the expansion in exchange for equity."

pay a penalty

To pay a financial charge as a punishment for breaking a rule or contract term.

"Late delivery will result in the supplier paying a penalty of 2% of the order value."

accrue interest

To accumulate interest on a debt or savings account over time.

"Unpaid balances will accrue interest at a rate of 18% per annum."

fiscal year / quarter

An accounting period of 12 months (year) or 3 months (quarter) used for financial reporting.

"Results for the current fiscal quarter will be released at the end of September."

recruit talent / staff

To find and hire people with the skills your organization needs.

"The company is actively recruiting talent with experience in supply chain automation."

onboard new employees

To integrate and train new staff members so they can perform their roles effectively.

"It takes approximately 60 days to fully onboard a new logistics coordinator."

conduct a performance review

To formally evaluate an employee's work performance against set objectives.

"All managers are required to conduct annual performance reviews with their direct reports."

delegate responsibility

To give others the authority and responsibility for completing certain tasks.

"Effective managers know when to delegate responsibility and trust their teams."

foster a culture

To actively encourage and develop a particular type of environment or attitude within a team.

"Our goal is to foster a culture of continuous improvement and open feedback."

retain top talent

To keep your best employees from leaving for competitors.

"Competitive salaries and flexible hours are key to retaining top talent."

address performance issues

To formally deal with situations where an employee is not meeting expectations.

"HR will work with the department head to address the performance issues constructively."

provide constructive feedback

To give specific, helpful commentary that helps someone improve their work.

"Managers should provide constructive feedback regularly, not just during annual reviews."

lay off / make redundant

To terminate employment, typically due to economic reasons rather than performance.

"The company was forced to lay off 80 workers following the loss of the main contract."

promote an employee

To advance someone to a higher position or level of responsibility.

"After three years of exceptional performance, she was promoted to Regional Director."

boost team morale

To increase the confidence, enthusiasm, and motivation of a group of workers.

"The team-building retreat was specifically designed to boost morale after a difficult quarter."

set clear expectations

To communicate precisely what is required of someone in their role.

"It's critical to set clear expectations from day one to avoid misunderstandings later."

file a grievance

To formally make a complaint through official HR channels.

"The employee chose to file a formal grievance regarding the unsafe working conditions."

invest in professional development

To provide resources for employees to improve their skills and advance their careers.

"Companies that invest in professional development see higher retention and productivity."

support work-life balance

To enable employees to maintain a healthy separation between their work and personal life.

"The company's flexible scheduling policy is designed to support work-life balance."

conduct an exit interview

To have a formal conversation with an employee who is leaving the company.

"HR conducts exit interviews with all departing staff to identify areas for improvement."

upskill the workforce

To provide training that gives employees new or improved skills.

"The digital transformation plan includes a major initiative to upskill the workforce."

meet a quota

To achieve the required number or amount set as a performance target.

"Sales representatives are required to meet their monthly quota to qualify for commission."

maintain an open-door policy

To be accessible to staff who want to raise issues or ask questions directly.

"Our managers are encouraged to maintain an open-door policy with their teams."

resolve workplace conflict

To find a solution to disagreements or tensions between employees.

"HR was called in to help resolve the conflict between the two department managers."

succession planning

Identifying and developing future leaders to fill key positions when they become vacant.

"Succession planning is essential for any business that wants long-term stability."

issue a formal warning

To officially notify an employee that their conduct or performance is unacceptable.

"After two verbal reminders, HR issued a formal written warning."

report to

To be directly accountable to a specific person in the organizational hierarchy.

"The three regional managers all report directly to the VP of Operations."

take ownership of results

To fully accept responsibility for outcomes, whether positive or negative.

"The best employees are those who take ownership of their results without being asked."

go the extra mile

To make more effort than is required or expected.

"She consistently goes the extra mile for clients, which is why her retention rate is so high."

tackle a problem

To deal with a difficult situation or challenge directly and actively.

"We need to tackle this supply shortage before it begins affecting our customers."

identify the root cause

To find the fundamental reason why a problem has occurred.

"Before we can fix this, we need to identify the root cause of the recurring delays."

implement corrective action

To put measures in place to fix a problem and prevent it from recurring.

"The quality team was asked to implement corrective action within 48 hours."

manage expectations

To communicate clearly so that others have a realistic understanding of what will happen.

"When timelines are uncertain, it's important to actively manage client expectations."

think outside the box

To approach a problem in an unconventional or creative way.

"We've tried the standard approaches. Now it's time to think outside the box."

brainstorm solutions

To generate multiple ideas or options as a group without judgment.

"Let's brainstorm solutions as a team before deciding on the best approach."

manage a crisis

To respond to a serious and unexpected situation effectively to minimize damage.

"The communications team worked around the clock to manage the PR crisis."

fall short of targets

To fail to achieve the required standard or goal.

"Q3 sales fell short of targets by approximately 12%, prompting a strategic review."

recover from a setback

To return to a normal or better state after a difficulty or failure.

"The team recovered quickly from the setback and delivered the project on time."

escalate an issue

To raise a problem to a higher level of management when it cannot be resolved at the current level.

"If the contractor does not respond by Thursday, we will escalate the issue to their VP."

damage the reputation

To harm the public image or trustworthiness of a person or company.

"A series of late deliveries began to damage the company's reputation for reliability."

prevent recurrence

To put measures in place so the same problem does not happen again.

"The corrective action plan is designed to prevent recurrence of the error."

bear the brunt of

To suffer the worst part of a difficulty or negative consequence.

"The warehouse staff bore the brunt of the disruption caused by the system failure."

propose a solution

To formally put forward a specific remedy or fix for a problem.

"The engineering team has been asked to propose a solution by end of week."

minimize disruption

To limit the negative effect of a change or problem on operations.

"The system upgrade will be done overnight to minimize disruption to daily operations."

move forward

To make progress and continue despite difficulties.

"Let's acknowledge what went wrong and discuss how we move forward constructively."

absorb the impact

To deal with the full effect of a negative event without passing it on.

"Our larger rivals can absorb the impact of tariff increases more easily than we can."

take swift action

To respond to a situation quickly and decisively.

"When the product defect was discovered, management took swift action to recall all units."

reach a resolution

To find an acceptable outcome or solution to a dispute or problem.

"Both teams worked collaboratively until they reached a resolution that satisfied everyone."

sound the alarm

To issue an early warning about a serious problem that needs urgent attention.

"The CFO sounded the alarm about the cash flow shortage three months before it became critical."

put out fires

To deal reactively with urgent problems, often instead of working on long-term priorities.

"I spent the whole week putting out fires instead of working on the strategic plan."

nip it in the bud

To stop a problem from developing by dealing with it early, while it is still small.

"If we address this now, we can nip the problem in the bud before it affects other teams."

draw lessons from

To identify what can be learned from a past experience, especially a failure.

"After every major project, we hold a retrospective to draw lessons from what happened."

close the gap

To reduce the difference between where you are and where you need to be.

"The new sales strategy is focused on closing the gap between projected and actual revenue."

come up with a solution

To think of or produce a way to solve a problem.

"Despite the complexity, the team came up with an elegant and cost-effective solution."