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

His previous antisemitic remarks lost him brand deals with Adidas, Balenciaga and Gap. —Daniela Avila, People.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Other legal experts who didn’t sign the letter similarly denounced Paul Weiss’s deal with the Trump administration. —Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Mar. 2025

The Baltimore Orioles desperately need to bring in a starting pitcher to replace their former ace, Corbin Burnes, who signed a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason. —Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025

Cid struck a plea deal with prosecutors and will face a lighter sentence if convicted. —Carrie Kahn, NPR, 26 Mar. 2025