build upon ideas
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phrasal-verb

build upon ideas

Meaning
to develop or improve existing ideas
Example
Our goal is to **build upon** each other’s ideas to create a stronger plan.
phrasal-verb

grow closer to

Meaning
to develop a stronger emotional bond with someone
Example
They have **grown closer to** each other after years of working together.
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read through

Meaning
to read something carefully from beginning to end
Example
You should **read through** your notes before the exam.
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bridge cultural gaps

Meaning
to reduce misunderstanding or distance between cultures
Example
Education can **bridge cultural gaps** and promote mutual respect.
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ask over

Meaning
to invite someone to your place, often to talk or apologize
Example
He **asked her over** to say sorry for what happened.
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ship out to

Meaning
to send goods to a destination
Example
The factory **ships out to** regional stores every Thursday.
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bring down inequality

Meaning
to reduce economic or social inequality
Example
Effective tax policies can help **bring down inequality** in society.
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bring in income

Meaning
to earn money from work or investment
Example
She started freelancing to **bring in income** alongside her full-time job.
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stumble upon

Meaning
to find something by accident
Example
We **stumbled upon** a hidden waterfall in the forest.
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bring out clarity

Meaning
to make thoughts or feelings clearer
Example
Writing in a journal can **bring out clarity** about what you truly feel.
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fade out

Meaning
to gradually disappear from view or sound
Example
The music **faded out** as the credits rolled.
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work out on paper

Meaning
to plan or calculate something in detail before action
Example
They **worked out on paper** the logistics of the export plan.
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copy down

Meaning
to write something exactly as it is
Example
Make sure to **copy down** the correct formula from the board.
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add up to

Meaning
to result in a total amount; to make sense financially
Example
All these small expenses **add up to** a large amount by the end of the month.
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lay risks out

Meaning
to present potential issues clearly
Example
Product leads **lay risks out** before we greenlight new features.
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look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
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follow up with

Meaning
to contact or check again after an initial meeting or message
Example
Please **follow up with** the client after sending the proposal.
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hold back tears

Meaning
to stop yourself from crying
Example
He tried to **hold back tears** during the speech.
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stir up trouble

Meaning
to cause or provoke conflict or unrest
Example
Certain groups tried to **stir up trouble** during the election.
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step out of

Meaning
to move beyond your usual limits or comfort zone
Example
To grow, you need to **step out of** your comfort zone.
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learn about traditions

Meaning
to study or become familiar with cultural customs
Example
Tourists should **learn about traditions** before visiting a new country.
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pick out

Meaning
to choose something you like
Example
She **picked out** a dress she really liked.
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get bogged down

Meaning
to become so involved in something that you cannot make progress
Example
I got **bogged down** in paperwork and missed the meeting.
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blurt out

Meaning
to say something suddenly without thinking, often because of emotion
Example
He **blurted out** his secret in front of everyone.
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fall to

Meaning
to begin doing something eagerly; to become responsible for something
Example
Everyone **fell to** cleaning after the party ended.
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break off thoughts

Meaning
to stop negative or anxious thoughts abruptly
Example
Whenever you start overthinking, **break off thoughts** and focus on something present.
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run behind schedule

Meaning
to be late or delayed in finishing something
Example
The construction team is **running behind schedule** because of heavy rain.
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bring up negotiations

Meaning
to start discussing trade terms formally
Example
The minister plans to **bring up negotiations** during the next summit.
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reach out for support

Meaning
to ask for help or comfort from others
Example
Don't be afraid to **reach out for support** when you feel alone.
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roll in

Meaning
to arrive in large amounts, like fog or clouds
Example
Thick fog began to **roll in** from the river.
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drop out

Meaning
to leave school or university before finishing the course
Example
He decided to **drop out** of college and start a business.
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set out to improve

Meaning
to begin an effort to make yourself or something better
Example
He **set out to improve** his communication skills after the feedback session.
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reach out with kindness

Meaning
to offer compassion or help to someone in need
Example
We should **reach out with kindness** to those who are struggling.
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do over

Meaning
to do something again; to decorate or renovate a place
Example
You’ll have to **do over** the report because it’s full of errors.
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keep away

Meaning
to stay at a distance; to avoid something or someone
Example
You should **keep away** from junk food if you want to stay healthy.
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find into

Meaning
to enter or get involved in something gradually
Example
He slowly **found into** the rhythm of city life.
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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.
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slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
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stay off

Meaning
to avoid eating or drinking something unhealthy
Example
The doctor told me to **stay off** junk food for a month.
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preserve up

Meaning
to maintain or keep something in its original condition for the future
Example
We must **preserve up** our traditional dance forms.
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join hands with

Meaning
to collaborate or work together for a cause
Example
Several organizations **joined hands with** the ministry to organize the cultural festival.
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turn out to be

Meaning
to prove to be something in the end
Example
The rumor **turned out to be** false.
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work on yourself

Meaning
to make conscious efforts to improve your personality, habits, or mindset
Example
He spent years trying to **work on himself** after his breakup.
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bottle down

Meaning
to suppress or hide emotions deeply inside
Example
He tends to **bottle down** his anger instead of talking about it.
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mess around with

Meaning
to handle or change something carelessly and cause problems
Example
Don't **mess around with** the settings or you might break it.
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rise up

Meaning
to stand and act against challenges or difficulties
Example
We must **rise up** and face the challenges together.
phrasal-verb

wind off from

Meaning
to relax or detach yourself from stress; to calm down after work or tension
Example
After a long day, I like to **wind off from** all the pressure by listening to soft music.
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hold back from

Meaning
to resist forgetting or losing traditional values
Example
The villagers **held back from** abandoning their rituals.
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transform into

Meaning
to change completely into something new
Example
Over the years, the firm has **transformed into** a fully digital enterprise.
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get through to

Meaning
to make someone understand what you are trying to say
Example
Sometimes it’s hard to **get through to** my teenage son.
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break into conversation

Meaning
to join an ongoing conversation
Example
He politely **broke into the conversation** to share his opinion.
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lean within

Meaning
to rely on your inner strength or wisdom
Example
During tough times, she chose to **lean within** for guidance.
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translate into action

Meaning
to turn ideas or words into practical steps or results
Example
We must **translate into action** the promises made in meetings.
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stay curious

Meaning
to keep being interested and eager to learn
Example
The best learners always **stay curious** about the world.
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let feelings pass

Meaning
to allow emotions to come and go without fighting them
Example
Instead of holding on to anger, I try to **let feelings pass** naturally.
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roll over

Meaning
to reinvest money from a matured investment into a new one
Example
He decided to **roll over** his fixed deposit for another year.
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rise up to

Meaning
to face and deal successfully with a challenge or situation
Example
He **rose up to** the challenge and proved his worth.
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speak kindly to

Meaning
to use gentle and respectful words when talking to someone
Example
Always **speak kindly to** others even when you disagree.
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build up energy

Meaning
to increase your strength or motivation over time
Example
Regular rest helps you **build up energy** for the next day.
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hit it off with

Meaning
to immediately have a good relationship with someone
Example
We **hit it off with** each other from the very first meeting.
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ease into workouts

Meaning
to start exercise gently before increasing intensity
Example
I **ease into workouts** with stretching so my body feels ready.
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smash into

Meaning
to crash violently into something
Example
The truck **smashed into** the barrier after losing control.
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lock horns with

Meaning
to get into a serious conflict with someone
Example
Two parties **lock horns with** each other over reform details.
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knock down

Meaning
to hit someone or something and cause them to fall to the ground
Example
The car **knocked down** a cyclist on the busy road.
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pull back from

Meaning
to stop yourself from doing too much or taking on too much stress
Example
She decided to **pull back from** some projects to manage her workload.
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drive up inflation

Meaning
to cause prices to increase rapidly
Example
Rising fuel costs have **driven up inflation** in many countries.
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push forward with

Meaning
to continue making progress despite challenges
Example
The team decided to **push forward with** the new project.
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pour out

Meaning
to express all your feelings freely
Example
She **poured out** her heart to her best friend.
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stay balanced

Meaning
to maintain emotional stability and not overreact
Example
Try to **stay balanced** no matter what happens.
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show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
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talk it out

Meaning
to discuss problems to relieve stress
Example
If you’re feeling tense, it helps to **talk it out** with a friend.
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take responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are to blame for something
Example
He finally **took responsibility for** the mistake.
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expand on

Meaning
to add more details or information about something
Example
Could you **expand on** your last point a bit more?
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fix up

Meaning
to arrange or plan something; to repair or prepare something
Example
She offered to **fix up** a lunch meeting for next week.
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open oneself to

Meaning
to allow oneself to experience or understand new ideas or cultures
Example
Living abroad helped him **open himself to** diverse ways of life.
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turn setbacks around

Meaning
to transform failures into opportunities or success
Example
She managed to **turn setbacks around** by learning from her mistakes.
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overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
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find peace with

Meaning
to accept something painful and stop being upset about it
Example
In time, she **found peace with** her past mistakes.
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look beyond bias

Meaning
to see past personal prejudices and focus on fairness
Example
We must **look beyond bias** to make objective hiring decisions.
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throw about

Meaning
to move or scatter things in a disorderly way
Example
The kids **threw about** their toys all over the room.
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come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
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phase into

Meaning
to introduce or begin something gradually over time
Example
The company plans to **phase into** a new training system for employees.
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get used to

Meaning
to become familiar with or accustomed to something new
Example
It took her some time to **get used to** the local customs and traditions.
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spin up for

Meaning
to prepare systems or resources to handle something
Example
We **spin up for** big launches by testing backup servers early.
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live by

Meaning
to follow certain principles or moral values
Example
Our organization **lives by** honesty and transparency.
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share in

Meaning
to participate in someone’s emotions, especially happiness or sadness
Example
We all **shared in** their joy when they got engaged.
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break past fear

Meaning
to overcome fear and take courageous action
Example
You can only grow when you **break past fear** and take risks.
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say thanks to

Meaning
to verbally express gratitude to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **say thanks to** your teacher before leaving.
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fill up

Meaning
to eat enough food so that you are full
Example
That soup really **filled me up**.
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kick goals around

Meaning
to discuss possible objectives informally
Example
We **kick goals around** during lunch before locking the roadmap.
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break out in

Meaning
to suddenly develop something on the skin (like a rash)
Example
He **broke out in** a rash after eating seafood.
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leave out

Meaning
to omit or not include something in writing or speech
Example
Don't **leave out** important details when you write the summary.
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price in

Meaning
to include expected future events in the current price of an investment
Example
Traders have already **priced in** the expected interest rate hike.
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call for peace

Meaning
to publicly ask for an end to conflict
Example
The international community **called for peace** between the rival nations.
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rise above pressure

Meaning
to stay calm and focused in stressful situations
Example
He managed to **rise above pressure** during the busy quarter.
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reach within

Meaning
to look deep inside yourself for strength or understanding
Example
During hard times, he learned to **reach within** for courage.
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work towards improvement

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve progress or better results
Example
We must continuously **work towards improvement** in our processes.
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sleep in

Meaning
to sleep later than usual, especially in the morning
Example
I like to **sleep in** on weekends to rest properly.
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drift off

Meaning
to gradually fall asleep
Example
She **drifted off** while reading a book.
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crash into

Meaning
to hit something, especially another vehicle, violently
Example
The bus **crashed into** a truck in the early morning fog.
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filter through for

Meaning
to sift carefully to find specific items
Example
Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.
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shift away from negativity

Meaning
to move your attention away from negative thoughts or people
Example
I’ve learned to **shift away from negativity** and focus on gratitude.
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tune your mind to positivity

Meaning
to intentionally think positive thoughts to reduce tension
Example
Each morning, I **tune my mind to positivity** before starting work.
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speak out for nature

Meaning
to publicly express concern or support for environmental protection
Example
Celebrities are using their platforms to **speak out for nature**.
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touch up

Meaning
to improve the appearance of something slightly, like makeup or paint
Example
She went to the mirror to **touch up** her makeup.
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give up

Meaning
to stop doing something, often a bad habit
Example
He finally **gave up** smoking after ten years.
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branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
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snap up

Meaning
to buy something quickly because it is cheap or available
Example
Shoppers **snapped up** the discounted electronics within minutes.
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layer on

Meaning
to add layers or levels to a piece of art or design
Example
He **layered on** different textures to make the painting richer.
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hold out on

Meaning
to refuse to give information or something to someone
Example
He’s **holding out on** me about the project details.
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pick up after

Meaning
to clean or tidy after someone
Example
I’m tired of **picking up after** my messy roommates.
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cut down unemployment

Meaning
to reduce the rate of people without jobs
Example
Industrial expansion aims to **cut down unemployment** in rural areas.
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tune out from

Meaning
to stop paying attention to stressful things; to mentally disconnect
Example
I sometimes **tune out from** work emails on weekends to recharge.
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take over the government

Meaning
to assume control of the government, often by force
Example
The military attempted to **take over the government** after months of unrest.
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build on

Meaning
to use your past success or experience to improve or achieve more
Example
We should **build on** our previous success to reach higher goals.
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set in

Meaning
when something unpleasant like rain or cold begins and seems likely to continue
Example
The cold season has **set in**, and we need to wear warm clothes.
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give on to

Meaning
to face or open onto a place
Example
Their balcony **gives on to** a beautiful garden.
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hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
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play along with

Meaning
to pretend to agree or cooperate with something
Example
Many people **play along with** trending topics just to stay relevant online.
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get feelings across

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions clearly
Example
It's hard to **get your feelings across** in an email.
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ground yourself in reality

Meaning
to focus your mind on what is real to reduce panic or anxiety
Example
If you feel lost in thoughts, **ground yourself in reality** by naming what you see.