deal with

phrasal verb

dealt with; dealing with; deals with

1

: to be about (something) : to have (something) as a subject

Her speech dealt with health care and the nation's economy.

The film deals with some serious issues.

2

: to make business agreements with (someone)

He deals fairly with all his customers.

Their salespeople are very easy to deal with.

3

: to do something about (a person or thing that causes a problem or difficult situation)

The government dealt harshly with the rebels.

I'll deal with you later.

We weren't able/equipped/prepared to deal with such a large crowd of people.

4

: to accept or try to accept (something that is true and cannot be changed)

She's still trying to deal with his death.

The weather is bad, but we'll just have to deal with it.

Examples of deal with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some bring the joy of surfing to kids dealing with trauma and celebrate older surfers in an annual contest. —Sharon Chin, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

The way to deal with it is to look outward. —Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026

But change itself is nothing new, and going with the flow might still be the most comfortable way to deal with the future. —Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 7 Jan. 2026

These ways of dealing with the passed (and the past) can seem alien from the perch of the present. —Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026