Contents
Phrasal verbs are an essential part of everyday English, especially when discussing problems, challenges, and solutions in work and personal life. Understanding and using common phrasal verbs for problems correctly will help you sound more natural, confident, and fluent in real-life conversations about difficulties and their resolutions.
In this lesson, you’ll learn a carefully selected list of 15 common problem-related phrasal verbs, complete with clear meanings, natural examples, and practice dialogues. Master these expressions to communicate naturally whenever you encounter obstacles or need to discuss solutions.
List of Common Phrasal Verbs for Problems
These 15 phrasal verbs are the key to sounding like a native speaker when discussing challenges, solutions, and problem-solving strategies. Whether you’re managing workplace issues, handling personal difficulties, or explaining how to overcome obstacles, these phrasal verbs will enhance your fluency and help you participate confidently in conversations about problem-solving.
- Come up with
- Deal with
- Face up to
- Figure out
- Give up
- Knuckle down
- Live with
- Look into
- Run into
- Run up against
- Sort out
- Talk over
- Think through
- Work out
- Work through
Phrasal Verbs for Problems with Meaning and Examples
Each phrasal verb below is presented with pronunciation, meaning, grammar classification, and relevant examples to help you understand how native speakers use them in real conversations. Pay special attention to whether each verb is separable or inseparable, as this affects word order in sentences.
We need to come up with a new strategy to reduce costs before the deadline. She knows how to deal with difficult customers calmly and professionally. He finally faced up to his financial mistakes and sought help. We still can’t figure out why the software keeps crashing during peak hours. Don’t give up just because the task is challenging—try a different approach.Come up with
Deal with
Face up to
Figure out
Give up
The first five phrasal verbs focus on identifying problems, managing them, and considering solutions. These are fundamental when discussing challenges at work or in daily life. Notice how some verbs emphasize thinking and planning (come up with, figure out) while others focus on action and management (deal with, give up).
It’s time to knuckle down and finish the report by Friday. Sometimes you just have to live with the outcome and move forward. The team will look into the cause of the delay and report back next week. We ran into serious technical issues during testing that delayed the launch.Knuckle down
Live with
Look into
Run into
These middle verbs shift focus toward investigation, acceptance, and the unexpected challenges that arise. “Knuckle down” emphasizes commitment and effort, while “look into” and “run into” suggest different phases of problem-solving: proactive investigation versus unexpected obstacles.
The proposal ran up against legal restrictions that no one had anticipated. Let’s sort out the misunderstanding first before we move forward. We should talk over the options before making any major decisions. Take time to think through all the risks before implementing the plan.Run up against
Sort out
Talk over
Think through
This final group emphasizes collaborative problem-solving and careful consideration. Notice that “talk over” and “think through” are about the mental and communicative processes of solving problems, while “sort out” focuses on the resolution itself.
They finally worked out a compromise that satisfied both parties. We need to work through these issues carefully and systematically.Work out
Work through
Comparing Similar Problem Phrasal Verbs
Several phrasal verbs in this list have overlapping meanings. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right one for each context:
Deal With vs. Handle: “Deal with” is the phrasal verb form and is slightly more natural in spoken English. “Handle” is a regular verb but means almost the same thing. Both show active management of a problem.
Come Up With vs. Think Of: Both suggest creating or producing an idea, but “come up with” is more action-oriented—you actively produce a solution in response to a challenge. “Think of” is more passive—the idea just comes to mind.
Look Into vs. Investigate: “Look into” is the phrasal verb form and is more common in conversation. “Investigate” is more formal and technical. Use “look into” for workplace or casual discussions about examining a problem.
Sort Out vs. Resolve: “Sort out” emphasizes fixing confusion or organizing chaos. “Resolve” is more formal and suggests reaching a conclusion. “Sort it out” is very natural in British English, while “work it out” is more American.
Dialogue Examples: Problem Phrasal Verbs in Context
The following dialogues show how native speakers naturally use these phrasal verbs when discussing problems, solutions, and real workplace or personal challenges. Notice the varied contexts and how each phrase fits naturally into conversation.
- Manager
- We’ve run into a few delays with the project timeline. This is a serious problem. Team
- Lead
- I suspected that might happen. Let’s look into the main causes first.
- Manager
- Good idea. Once we understand the issue, we can work out a realistic solution together. Team
- Lead
- Should we talk over this with the whole team, or just the leadership group?
- Manager
- Let’s think through each option carefully and come up with the best approach.
- A
- I’m feeling overwhelmed. There are too many problems to deal with at once. Friend
- B
- Don’t give up. Let’s talk over the situation and prioritize the most urgent issues. Friend
- A
- You’re right. If we work through each step carefully, it won’t seem so impossible. Friend
- B
- And sometimes you just have to live with what you can’t change right now. Friend
- A
- That’s true. We’ll knuckle down and tackle this systematically.
Common Mistakes with Problem Phrasal Verbs
Mistake 1: Confusing inseparable with separable verbs
❌ Wrong Please deal the problem with carefully.
✅ Correct Please deal with the problem carefully.
“Deal with” is inseparable—you cannot put an object between the verb and particle. Always use “deal with the problem,” not “deal the problem with.”
Mistake 2: Using the wrong verb for the wrong stage of problem-solving
❌ Wrong I worked out the cause of the crash.
✅ Correct I figured out the cause of the crash.
“Figure out” is for understanding the cause. “Work out” is for finding a solution. Use the right verb for the right phase of problem-solving.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the preposition in “face up to”
❌ Wrong He finally faced his mistakes.
✅ Correct He finally faced up to his mistakes.
The complete phrasal verb is “face up to,” not just “face.” The “up to” particles are essential to the meaning.
Key Grammar Notes for Problem Phrasal Verbs
Keep learning!
Expand your phrasal verb knowledge with these related lessons covering other important topics. If you enjoyed learning problem phrasal verbs, you might also find our guides on phrasal verbs for work useful for professional contexts, and phrasal verbs with act helpful for understanding action-related expressions. Additionally, exploring health phrasal verbs can improve your ability to discuss wellbeing challenges, and business phrasal verbs will strengthen your professional communication skills.