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

Kennedy sought the advice of doctors after dealing with severe memory loss and brain fog, reportedly leading to a scan of his brain that showed a dark spot in the imagery. —Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025

The Prime Minister added that Baghdad had signed deals with TotalEnergies, along with Chinese and Emirati firms, to invest in capturing gas that is now flared — worth $4 billion to $5 billion a year. —Emma Graham, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025

Hart has been dealing with back spasms and, as a result, hasn't appeared in New York's last two preseason games. —Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

With fall hunting seasons underway and deer starting to look for mates, Michigan's police officers are finding themselves being called out to deal with deer in unusual circumstances. —Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025