cope with
Meaning: To deal successfully with a difficult situation. Examples: “He finds it hard to cope with stress.” “There is too much work; I can’t cope with it all.”
get around to
Meaning: To finally do something after a delay. Examples: “I haven’t got around to fixing the tap yet.” “We finally got around to cleaning the garage.”
sort out
Meaning: To find a solution to a problem; to organize. Examples: “We need to sort out this mess.” “Have you sorted out your travel arrangements yet?”
figure out
Meaning: To understand or find the answer to something. Examples: “I can’t figure out how this machine works.” “She finally figured out the solution to the puzzle.”
point out
Meaning: To make someone aware of a fact. Examples: “He pointed out a mistake in the report.” “She pointed out that we were running late.”
rule out
Meaning: To eliminate a possibility. Examples: “The police ruled out foul play.” “We can’t rule out the possibility of rain.”
get out of
Meaning: To avoid doing something you don’t want to do. Examples: “She managed to get out of doing the dishes.” “I think he’s trying to get out of the meeting.”
face up to
Meaning: To accept and deal with a difficult truth. Examples: “You need to face up to your responsibilities.” “He finally faced up to the fact that he was wrong.”
come up against
Meaning: To face a problem or difficulty. Examples: “We came up against some unexpected opposition.” “You’ll come up against challenges.”
tackle (something)
Meaning: To make an effort to deal with a problem. Examples: “The government needs to tackle unemployment.” “How should we tackle this issue?”
get round to (UK) / get around to (US)
Meaning: To finally do something after delay. Examples: “I haven’t got round to painting the kitchen yet.” “When will you get around to fixing the car?”
resort to
Meaning: To do something bad or extreme because you have no choice. Examples: “They resorted to stealing to survive.” “I had to resort to asking my parents for money.”
stumble across/upon
Meaning: To find something by chance. Examples: “I stumbled across an old photo album.” “He stumbled upon the solution accidentally.”
dawn on
Meaning: To suddenly realize something. Examples: “It suddenly dawned on me that I’d forgotten my keys.” “The truth dawned on him.”
occur to
Meaning: To come into your mind. Examples: “It never occurred to me to check the time.” “Did it occur to you that she might be lying?”
boil down to
Meaning: To have something as the main reason or cause. Examples: “It all boils down to money.” “The problem boils down to a lack of trust.”
come down to
Meaning: To be the most important factor in a situation. Examples: “It comes down to who wants it more.” “The decision comes down to cost.”
paper over
Meaning: To hide a problem quickly without solving it. Examples: “They tried to paper over the cracks in their relationship.” “The government is just papering over the issue.”
smooth over
Meaning: To make a problem seem less serious. Examples: “He tried to smooth over the argument.” “She smoothed things over with her mother.”
tide over
Meaning: To help someone through a difficult period. Examples: “Can you lend me $50 to tide me over until Friday?” “This money should tide us over.”
