deal with sb
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. To interact with someone, especially as part of your job or a specific task.
phrasal verb. To interact with a person, especially in a professional or transactional capacity.
I deal with customers every day.
As a manager, she has to deal with many different types of people.
The diplomat was praised for her ability to deal with intransigent foreign leaders without compromising her country's core principles.
The object is a person or group; the phrase can be neutral or imply the person is difficult.
Contrast this with 'deal with something', which means to handle a problem or task, not a person.
I deal the customers.I deal with the customers.The preposition 'with' is required to connect the verb 'deal' to the person you are interacting with.
Last updated April 24, 2026