build flexibility into
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phrasal-verb

build flexibility into

Meaning
to include adaptability as a part of a system or plan
Example
We need to **build flexibility into** our workflow to handle changes easily.
phrasal-verb

shut off emotions

Meaning
to stop feeling or expressing emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off his emotions** to protect himself.
phrasal-verb

bring out the best in

Meaning
to help someone perform to their highest potential
Example
A great leader can **bring out the best in** their team members.
phrasal-verb

look out for

Meaning
to protect or take care of someone’s needs
Example
My mother always **looks out for** everyone in the family.
phrasal-verb

lighten off

Meaning
to feel or make something less serious or stressful
Example
Talking to friends helped me **lighten off** the pressure.
phrasal-verb

transform over time

Meaning
to gradually change form or nature
Example
The organization will **transform over time** with consistent innovation.
phrasal-verb

expand into

Meaning
to grow a business into new territories or sectors
Example
They are planning to **expand into** renewable energy markets.
phrasal-verb

hold steady

Meaning
to remain stable; to avoid fluctuation
Example
The national currency managed to **hold steady** despite market pressure.
phrasal-verb

check in with yourself

Meaning
to pause and reflect on your current emotional state
Example
Take a moment to **check in with yourself** during stressful days.
phrasal-verb

point off

Meaning
to direct attention away intentionally; to mislead
Example
He tried to **point off** the reporters by changing the topic.
phrasal-verb

track against goals

Meaning
to measure performance by comparing it to targets
Example
We **track against goals** every Monday so the team stays focused.
phrasal-verb

look back over

Meaning
to review or analyze past events or actions
Example
When you **look back over** your choices, you’ll see where things went wrong.
phrasal-verb

reel in

Meaning
to attract or bring in something, especially investment or profit
Example
The new tax incentives helped **reel in** foreign capital.
phrasal-verb

weigh up

Meaning
to consider the pros and cons before making a decision
Example
The board had to **weigh up** the risks before cutting more jobs.
phrasal-verb

focus on gratitude

Meaning
to concentrate on things you are thankful for
Example
Each morning, **focus on gratitude** to start your day positively.
phrasal-verb

patch things up with

Meaning
to repair a relationship after an argument or conflict
Example
They finally **patched things up with** each other after weeks of silence.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

call off

Meaning
to cancel something
Example
We had to **call off** the meeting because the manager was sick.
phrasal-verb

cry out for

Meaning
to need something urgently
Example
This area **cries out for** better healthcare facilities.
phrasal-verb

play back

Meaning
to listen to or watch something that was previously recorded
Example
Let’s **play back** the scene to check if the sound was clear.
phrasal-verb

turn off

Meaning
to stop the flow of something; to switch off
Example
Please **turn off** the lights when you leave the room to save energy.
phrasal-verb

burst out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying loudly
Example
The child **burst out crying** when his toy broke.
phrasal-verb

step into your power

Meaning
to embrace your strength, potential, and confidence fully
Example
She finally decided to **step into her power** and take charge of her life.
phrasal-verb

lash with anger

Meaning
to express anger strongly
Example
The coach **lashed with anger** after the team lost again.
phrasal-verb

sum up

Meaning
to summarize or express something briefly
Example
Let me **sum up** the key points before we finish.
phrasal-verb

stay driven

Meaning
to remain motivated and focused on your goals
Example
To achieve greatness, you must **stay driven** no matter what.
phrasal-verb

put down

Meaning
to place something on a surface; to criticize or insult someone
Example
He **put down** his bag and sat on the chair.
phrasal-verb

depend upon imports

Meaning
to rely on goods brought from other countries
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon imports** for essential commodities.
phrasal-verb

sound out about

Meaning
to ask people for their opinions on something
Example
Let's **sound out about** the new comment policy before we publish it.
phrasal-verb

break into markets

Meaning
to start to sell goods or services in a new market
Example
Many startups aim to **break into markets** in Africa to support sustainable growth.
phrasal-verb

stand for

Meaning
to represent or support a particular idea or principle
Example
The party **stands for** equality and justice.
phrasal-verb

talk over someone

Meaning
to speak louder than another person so they cannot be heard
Example
Stop **talking over** others; it's hard to understand anyone.
phrasal-verb

take after

Meaning
to resemble a parent or relative in appearance or behavior
Example
He **takes after** his mother in both looks and nature.
phrasal-verb

turn pain into strength

Meaning
to use your emotional pain as a source of motivation or growth
Example
She learned to **turn pain into strength** after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

let positivity flow

Meaning
to freely express and share positive emotions
Example
When you smile and help others, you **let positivity flow**.
phrasal-verb

brush back

Meaning
to push hair away from the face using the hand or brush
Example
She **brushed back** her hair to see more clearly.
phrasal-verb

break news to

Meaning
to share important or upsetting information with someone
Example
He had to **break news to** his editor about the source backing out.
phrasal-verb

shift into

Meaning
to transition into a different type of job or field
Example
He’s planning to **shift into** a more creative industry next year.
phrasal-verb

bounce ahead of

Meaning
to recover or progress faster than others after a downturn
Example
Some tech firms managed to **bounce ahead of** their competitors after the crisis.
phrasal-verb

pick on

Meaning
to treat someone unfairly or criticize repeatedly
Example
Don’t **pick on** your brother; he didn’t do anything wrong.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing

Meaning
to continue making an effort despite obstacles
Example
Even when life gets tough, keep **pushing** forward.
phrasal-verb

sprout up

Meaning
to appear or grow quickly like plants
Example
New trees have **sprouted up** after the monsoon rain.
phrasal-verb

mobilize for

Meaning
to organize people for a political or social cause
Example
The leader **mobilized for** a national campaign on climate action.
phrasal-verb

reach for higher goals

Meaning
to aim or strive for greater success or achievements
Example
She’s always encouraged her team to **reach for higher goals**.
phrasal-verb

ease out of

Meaning
to gradually stop doing something stressful
Example
She decided to **ease out of** her demanding job to find balance.
phrasal-verb

open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
phrasal-verb

catch at a chance

Meaning
to take an opportunity eagerly
Example
She **caught at the chance** to study abroad.
phrasal-verb

appeal to

Meaning
to ask someone earnestly or formally for help
Example
The charity **appealed to** the public for donations.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
phrasal-verb

come up to

Meaning
to reach a particular standard or expectation
Example
Her performance didn't **come up to** our expectations.
phrasal-verb

show love to

Meaning
to demonstrate affection or gratitude toward someone
Example
He **shows love to** his mentors for guiding him through tough times.
phrasal-verb

carry off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
She managed to **carry off** the project despite all the challenges.
phrasal-verb

build up confidence

Meaning
to increase self-belief among team members
Example
A leader’s words can **build up confidence** in the team.
phrasal-verb

train through setbacks

Meaning
to keep practicing even after difficulties
Example
Athletes **train through setbacks** by adjusting their routines.
phrasal-verb

filter out negativity

Meaning
to remove negative thoughts or influences from your mind
Example
Try to **filter out negativity** and focus on what’s good.
phrasal-verb

work toward harmony

Meaning
to make efforts to maintain peace and understanding among nations
Example
The regional alliance continues to **work toward harmony** in the area.
phrasal-verb

long for

Meaning
to wish very strongly for something that cannot happen or is far away
Example
He still **longs for** the days when he could have made things right.
phrasal-verb

open up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to listen and accept constructive criticism
Example
A good leader must **open up to feedback** from the team.
phrasal-verb

ride out the storm

Meaning
to stay calm and keep going during a difficult situation
Example
We **ride out the storm** together when deadlines stack up.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

bring in line with

Meaning
to make something conform to a standard or policy
Example
The company updated its IT systems to **bring them in line with** global data security standards.
phrasal-verb

stop over

Meaning
to stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey
Example
We’ll **stop over** in Dubai for one night before heading to Paris.
phrasal-verb

wind down from

Meaning
to relax after finishing something intense
Example
We **wind down from** deadlines with a quick walk outside.
phrasal-verb

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
phrasal-verb

come out in favor of

Meaning
to publicly support or agree with something
Example
The committee **came out in favor of** the new proposal.
phrasal-verb

keep alive

Meaning
to make sure cultural traditions continue to exist
Example
Artists work hard to **keep alive** the spirit of folk art.
phrasal-verb

respect differences

Meaning
to show appreciation for diversity in opinions or cultures
Example
A global citizen must **respect differences** among people.
phrasal-verb

show up as

Meaning
to appear in a particular way or form
Example
Your mistake **shows up as** a red mark on the report.
phrasal-verb

drive forward

Meaning
to make progress with determination and energy
Example
Strong leadership is needed to **drive forward** innovation goals.
phrasal-verb

smooth things over with

Meaning
to restore peace with someone after a disagreement
Example
She brought cookies to **smooth things over with** her neighbor.
phrasal-verb

take part in discussions

Meaning
to actively join in conversations or debates
Example
Students should **take part in discussions** to develop communication skills.
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
phrasal-verb

burn through

Meaning
to use up energy or resources very quickly
Example
We’ve **burned through** our energy trying to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

bring about awareness

Meaning
to cause people to notice or understand something
Example
Social media can **bring about awareness** of important issues.
phrasal-verb

ring off

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **rang off** without saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

fly into a rage

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
The manager **flew into a rage** when the report was submitted late.
phrasal-verb

stand alongside

Meaning
to support or defend someone as part of a group
Example
True teammates **stand alongside** each other in difficult times.
phrasal-verb

center on

Meaning
to focus attention or thoughts on something; to make something the main point
Example
Try to **center on** the positive aspects of your life instead of the negatives.
phrasal-verb

head back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
It’s getting late, we should **head back** to the hotel.
phrasal-verb

speak to

Meaning
to talk to someone; to address or scold someone
Example
The manager wants to **speak to** you about your performance.
phrasal-verb

speak with assurance

Meaning
to talk confidently and convincingly
Example
He **spoke with assurance** during his presentation.
phrasal-verb

slow up

Meaning
to move or act more slowly to reduce pressure or stress
Example
You should **slow up** before you burn out.
phrasal-verb

step beyond

Meaning
to go further than expected or allowed
Example
Her creativity always **steps beyond** traditional boundaries.
phrasal-verb

air issues out

Meaning
to talk openly about problems to resolve them
Example
Teams **air issues out** during retros so nothing lingers.
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
phrasal-verb

hum along

Meaning
to make a sound with your lips closed while listening to a tune
Example
He **hummed along** to the melody playing in the background.
phrasal-verb

speak about

Meaning
to talk about a particular topic or issue
Example
He will **speak about** effective communication at the seminar.
phrasal-verb

wolf down

Meaning
to eat something very quickly and greedily
Example
He **wolfed down** his lunch in five minutes.
phrasal-verb

flare up

Meaning
to suddenly become angry or violent
Example
Their argument **flared up** again during dinner.
phrasal-verb

smooth out

Meaning
to make emotions or problems less rough or intense
Example
Time will **smooth out** the pain you’re feeling now.
phrasal-verb

cut expenses

Meaning
to lower the total amount of money spent
Example
He managed to **cut expenses** by cooking at home instead of eating out.
phrasal-verb

stand over

Meaning
to watch someone closely to ensure they do something correctly
Example
The teacher **stood over** the students during the exam.
phrasal-verb

cut away

Meaning
to remove part of something with a tool or knife
Example
The doctor **cut away** the damaged tissue.
phrasal-verb

rise above hurt

Meaning
to move past emotional pain and not let it control you
Example
She learned to **rise above hurt** and forgive others.
phrasal-verb

fog up

Meaning
when glass or lenses become covered with mist or condensation
Example
My glasses always **fog up** when it rains.
phrasal-verb

call attention to

Meaning
to make people notice something good
Example
He **called attention to** the artist’s unique style.
phrasal-verb

look within

Meaning
to examine your own feelings and motives
Example
To grow emotionally, you must **look within** yourself.
phrasal-verb

shape up to be

Meaning
to seem likely to develop into something
Example
The new policy is **shaping up to be** a major change in the industry.
phrasal-verb

put across

Meaning
to communicate an idea clearly
Example
She always manages to **put across** her ideas effectively.
phrasal-verb

tap into your potential

Meaning
to use your abilities fully to achieve success
Example
You must **tap into your potential** to unlock greater confidence.
phrasal-verb

put into practice

Meaning
to use knowledge or skills in a real situation
Example
You should **put into practice** what you’ve learned in the course.
phrasal-verb

throw up one's hands

Meaning
to give up in despair or frustration
Example
The manager **threw up his hands** when the plan failed.
phrasal-verb

stay motivated

Meaning
to keep one’s enthusiasm and energy high
Example
Regular feedback helps employees **stay motivated**.
phrasal-verb

cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
phrasal-verb

pick up signal

Meaning
to detect or receive a wireless signal
Example
My phone couldn’t **pick up signal** in the basement.
phrasal-verb

turn down for

Meaning
to reject an offer or opportunity
Example
He was **turned down for** the job because he lacked experience.
phrasal-verb

cut down on distractions

Meaning
to reduce things that take your attention away
Example
He’s trying to **cut down on distractions** to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

break down over

Meaning
to become very emotional because of regret or sadness
Example
He **broke down over** losing his best friend.
phrasal-verb

keep to

Meaning
to stick to something such as a rule or plan
Example
Please **keep to** the schedule.
phrasal-verb

spell out

Meaning
to explain something clearly and in detail
Example
Could you **spell out** what you mean by that term?
phrasal-verb

frame setbacks as lessons

Meaning
to describe problems as opportunities to learn
Example
We **frame setbacks as lessons** so the team stays optimistic.
phrasal-verb

put through

Meaning
to connect someone on the phone
Example
Could you **put me through** to the manager, please?
phrasal-verb

let feelings out

Meaning
to express emotions instead of keeping them inside
Example
It's important to **let your feelings out** instead of hiding them.
phrasal-verb

draw lessons from

Meaning
to learn something valuable from a situation or experience
Example
We should **draw lessons from** our past failures.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in exports

Meaning
to lag in selling goods to foreign countries
Example
The nation has **fallen behind in exports** due to weak demand abroad.
phrasal-verb

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
phrasal-verb

chalk up improvements

Meaning
to credit progress achieved over time
Example
We **chalk up improvements** to consistent practice and rest.
phrasal-verb

call someone out on

Meaning
to point out a person’s mistake or bad behavior
Example
Coworkers **call someone out on** gossip that hurts the team.
phrasal-verb

glow up

Meaning
to become more confident, attractive, or happy over time
Example
She really **glowed up** after starting her new job.
phrasal-verb

prototype on paper

Meaning
to sketch a quick version of an idea
Example
Designers **prototype on paper** before they open any software.