deal with

3 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 handle or manage a situation, problem, or person B1
  2. 2 be about a particular subject or topic B1
  3. 3 do business or trade with a person or company B2
1 deal with sb/sth

handle or manage a situation, problem, or person

B1

What does "deal with" mean in this sense?

To deal with something means to take action to manage or handle a problem, situation, or task. It focuses on the process of actively doing something about it — not necessarily solving it completely, but responding to it and taking control. You can deal with big things like a crisis at work or small things like a pile of emails. The phrase is very common in everyday English and works in almost any situation, from chatting with friends to writing professional emails. It is one of the most useful and flexible phrasal verbs you can learn.

Examples

How to use it

deal with + problem/situation

The most common pattern — use it when someone actively manages a problem, task, or difficult situation.

The team stayed late to deal with the technical issues before the launch.

deal with + pronoun (it/them/this)

Pronouns always follow 'with' and can never be moved — this is the most compact everyday form.

There's a problem with the booking — I'll deal with it right away.

be dealt with (passive)

Use the passive when the focus is on the situation being handled, not on who handled it — common in professional or official contexts.

All customer complaints are dealt with within 48 hours.

adjective + at/in/for + dealing with

The gerund form 'dealing with' is very common after adjectives and nouns that describe skills or responsibilities.

She has years of experience in dealing with difficult situations under pressure.

need/have to + deal with

Modal and semi-modal constructions are very natural with this phrasal verb when talking about obligations or upcoming tasks.

We still need to deal with the complaints we received last week.

Common Collocations

deal with a problemdeal with stressdeal with complaintsdeal with a situationdeal with the consequencesdeal with change

Common Mistakes

Dropping 'with'

In this sense, 'deal' always needs 'with' — you cannot use 'deal' alone followed directly by the object. This is one of the most common errors learners make.

✗ I need to deal the problem before tomorrow.
✓ I need to deal with the problem before tomorrow.
Trying to separate the verb

'Deal with' is inseparable, so the object must always come after 'with', never between 'deal' and 'with'.

✗ She dealt the complaint with very quickly.
✓ She dealt with the complaint very quickly.
Confusing 'deal with' and 'cope with'

'Deal with' is action-focused and relatively neutral — it suggests you are actively managing something. 'Cope with' suggests the situation is emotionally difficult or hard to manage, and you are trying your best to get through it.

✗ After losing his job, he was dealing with the stress and barely sleeping.
✓ After losing his job, he was coping with the stress and barely sleeping.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works equally well in conversation, emails, and formal writing. The gerund form 'dealing with' is very common after adjectives like 'good at', 'experienced in', and 'responsible for'.

2 deal with sth

be about a particular subject or topic

B1

Sense 2: What does "deal with sth" mean?

This sense of 'deal with' describes what a piece of writing, a film, a documentary, or another created work is about. When a book or film 'deals with' a subject, that subject is a central and meaningful part of the content — not just a brief mention. It is similar to saying something 'is about' or 'covers' a topic, but 'deal with' suggests the work explores the subject in some depth. You can use it in everyday conversation when summarising content, and it is also very common in academic or critical writing when discussing texts or media.

Examples

How to use it

text/work + deal with + subject

The most common pattern: the subject of the sentence is a created work (book, film, report, etc.), and the object after 'with' names the topic it covers.

The documentary deals with the effects of plastic pollution on ocean life.

deal with + the theme/issue/question of + noun

Use this pattern to name the topic more precisely with a noun phrase introduced by 'the theme of', 'the issue of', or 'the question of'.

Her essay deals with the question of equality in the workplace.

deal with + topic (in infinitive construction)

Use the infinitive form after verbs like 'seem', 'appear', or 'claim' to describe what a work covers.

The article appears to deal with the rising cost of living in major cities.

deal with + topic (present participle/gerund)

Use the '-ing' form when describing the work in a relative clause or as part of a longer noun phrase.

I'm looking for a book dealing with the history of jazz music.

Common Collocations

a book/novela documentary/filma report/studyan article/essayan issue/topicthe theme of

Common Mistakes

Using a person as the subject

In this sense, the subject must be a text, film, or similar work — not a person. When a person is the subject, 'deal with' means to handle or manage something, which is a different meaning.

✗ The author deals with climate change in her speech.
✓ Her speech deals with climate change.
Using the present continuous

Because 'deal with' in this sense describes a fixed subject matter rather than an action in progress, the present continuous sounds unnatural. Use the simple present instead.

✗ This report is dealing with the impact of social media on teenagers.
✓ This report deals with the impact of social media on teenagers.
Using the passive form

The passive does not work naturally with this sense of 'deal with'. The passive is only natural with the 'handle or manage' sense. Keep the work as the subject and the topic as the object.

✗ Identity and belonging are dealt with in the novel.
✓ The novel deals with identity and belonging.

Usage

This sense of 'deal with' is neutral and works in both spoken and written contexts, but it is especially common in academic and critical writing. It is slightly more formal than simply saying 'be about' and suggests the work addresses the topic in some depth.

3 deal with sb

do business or trade with a person or company

B2

Sense 3: What does "deal with sb" mean?

This sense of 'deal with' refers to having a commercial or trading relationship with a business or person — buying from them, selling to them, or working with them as a contractor or supplier. It usually suggests an ongoing relationship rather than a single purchase or transaction. You'll hear it often in business conversations and professional correspondence, where it's a concise way of saying 'we buy from' or 'we trade with'. The object of 'deal with' in this sense is always a company, supplier, vendor, or similar commercial partner — never a problem or situation. Context almost always makes this clear: a company name or trade role as the object signals the commercial meaning.

Examples

How to use it

deal with + company/person

The core pattern — 'deal with' is always followed directly by the trading partner, never separated.

Our purchasing team deals with several wholesalers across the region.

deal with + pronoun

When replacing the object with a pronoun, it must follow 'with' — never placed between 'deal' and 'with'.

That distributor has a poor reputation — I'd never deal with them.

have been dealing with + company/person

The present perfect continuous emphasises that a commercial relationship has been ongoing over a period of time.

We've been dealing with the same manufacturer for nearly fifteen years.

deal with + company/person + adverb/adverbial phrase

Adverbs like 'directly', 'exclusively', or phrases like 'on a regular basis' are commonly added to describe the nature of the trading relationship.

We prefer to deal with suppliers directly rather than through an agent.

refuse / decide / choose to deal with + company/person

Modal or volitional verbs are often used to express decisions about whether to enter or continue a trading relationship.

After reviewing their terms, the board decided not to deal with that contractor again.

Common Collocations

suppliercompanydistributorcontractorvendorwholesaler

Common Mistakes

Separating the phrasal verb

'Deal with' is inseparable, so the object — including pronouns — must always come after 'with'. Placing anything between 'deal' and 'with' is ungrammatical.

✗ We deal the vendor with every quarter.
✓ We deal with the vendor every quarter.
Pronoun position

Even with short pronouns, you cannot separate 'deal' and 'with'. The pronoun must follow 'with', just like any other object.

✗ We've dealt them with for years.
✓ We've dealt with them for years.
Confusing the two senses of 'deal with'

When 'deal with' is followed by a company, supplier, or person in a commercial context, it means to do business with them. When followed by a problem, complaint, or situation, it means to handle or manage it. Mixing up the two can cause genuine misunderstanding.

✗ We need to deal with our new supplier. (intended meaning: manage a problem with the supplier)
✓ We need to deal with the problem our new supplier has caused.

Usage

This sense of 'deal with' specifically means to have a commercial or trading relationship with a business or person. It is neutral in register and common in both spoken and written business English worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'deal with it' be used on its own as a short expression?

Yes! 'Deal with it' is a very common informal expression in everyday English. It means 'accept the situation and move on' — it can sound a little blunt or dismissive depending on your tone, so be careful how you use it with people you don't know well.

Does 'deal with' always mean managing a problem? I've seen it used in other ways.

In this entry, 'deal with' means to handle or manage a situation or problem. However, the same phrase can also mean to do business with someone, or to be about a topic (for example, 'the report deals with climate change'). Context usually makes the meaning clear — if the object is a problem, task, or difficult situation, it has the 'manage' meaning.

What kinds of things can you 'deal with'?

You can deal with a very wide range of things — problems, complaints, stress, paperwork, difficult customers, consequences, emotions, a crisis, change, and uncertainty are all very natural. Basically, anything that requires your attention and action can be 'dealt with'.

Is 'being dealt with' a natural thing to say?

Yes, the passive form is very natural, especially in professional or official situations. Phrases like 'your request is being dealt with' or 'the issue will be dealt with shortly' are common in emails, customer service, and formal announcements.

Can I use 'deal with' in formal writing or work emails?

Yes — unlike many phrasal verbs, 'deal with' is neutral in tone and works perfectly well in professional emails, reports, and formal writing. You don't need to replace it with a single-word verb like 'handle' or 'address', though those are also fine alternatives.

Can 'deal with' be used for any type of work, or only books and films?

It works for a wide range of created works — books, novels, films, documentaries, reports, studies, essays, articles, and even speeches or podcasts. The key is that the subject of the sentence is a work that was produced or written, not a person.

Is 'deal with' stronger than just saying 'be about'?

Yes, slightly. 'Be about' is more neutral and can describe even very simple or superficial content. 'Deal with' suggests the work engages with the topic more seriously or in greater depth. For example, you might say a children's book 'is about' a dog, but you would say a documentary 'deals with' climate change.

Does 'deal with' always mean 'be about'? I've heard it used in other ways.

No, 'deal with' has more than one meaning. This entry covers only the 'be about or concern a subject' sense. The same phrasal verb is also used to mean 'handle or manage a problem', which is a separate meaning covered elsewhere on this platform.

What is the difference between 'deal with' and 'touch on'?

'Touch on' suggests only a brief or passing mention of a subject, while 'deal with' implies the topic is a substantial or central part of the work. If a film spends most of its time on a theme, use 'deal with'; if it only mentions something briefly, use 'touch on'.

Does 'deal with' in this sense always mean there's an ongoing relationship, or can it describe a one-time transaction?

'Deal with' in the trading sense most naturally implies a repeated or established commercial relationship — you deal with a supplier regularly, not just once. For a single purchase or transaction, it's more natural to say 'buy from' or 'order from'. If you use 'deal with' for a one-off situation, it may sound slightly odd to a native speaker.

Can I use 'deal with' in the passive, like 'the company was dealt with'?

Not in this trading sense — the passive sounds unnatural here. The passive form 'be dealt with' belongs to the other sense of 'deal with', meaning to handle or manage something (e.g. 'the complaint was dealt with promptly'). For the trading sense, stick to active constructions.

Is there a difference between 'deal with' and 'do business with'?

'Do business with' and 'deal with' (in the trading sense) are very close in meaning. 'Do business with' tends to sound slightly more formal and explicit, while 'deal with' is more concise and common in everyday business conversation. In most contexts, either works fine.

What kinds of objects can follow 'deal with' in this business sense?

The object should always be a commercial entity — a supplier, vendor, distributor, manufacturer, wholesaler, contractor, broker, agent, or a named company. If the object is a problem, complaint, or situation, you're using a different sense of 'deal with' that means to handle or manage something.

Is 'deal with' in this sense used worldwide, or mainly in British or American English?

This sense of 'deal with' is used in business English globally — you'll encounter it in British, American, Australian, and international business contexts alike. It's a neutral, professional expression with no strong regional bias.

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