Business Operations — B2 Essential Words

launch /lɔːntʃ/ verb / noun B2 Business

Meaning: To start or introduce a new product, service, or project publicly; also to send a rocket or ship into space or water.

Example: The company will launch the app in June.

Another example: The product launch attracted the press.

Collocations: launch a product · launch in · the launch of

Synonyms: introduce, release, unveil

Antonyms: cancel, withdraw

Word family: launches (n pl) · launch (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Products, rockets, and campaigns all launch — the word always means a beginning with an audience.

🗣 In spoken American English: Apple turned it into theater: dark stage, one product, worldwide stream.

Register: Neutral — business essential.

expand /ɪkˈspænd/ verb B2 Business

Meaning: To become larger in size, area, number, or activity; to make something larger.

Example: The chain plans to expand into Canada.

Another example: Metals expand when heated.

Collocations: expand into · expand the business · expand rapidly

Synonyms: grow, extend, enlarge

Antonyms: shrink, contract, cut

Word family: expansion (n) · expanded (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Businesses expand into new MARKETS; gases expand in heat; essays expand on POINTS. One verb, three laboratories.

🗣 In spoken American English: Every franchise story is this verb repeated annually.

Register: Neutral — business essential.

merge /mɜːrdʒ/ verb B2 Business

Meaning: To join together with another company or thing to become one.

Example: The two banks merged in 2022.

Another example: Traffic merges onto the highway here.

Collocations: merge with · merge into · companies merge

Synonyms: combine, unite, join

Antonyms: split, separate

Word family: merger (n) · merged (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Companies merge (the event is a MERGER); lanes merge in traffic. Both mean many becoming one.

🗣 In spoken American English: Headlines announce them with both logos side by side.

Register: Formal — business essential.

retail /ˈriːteɪl/ noun / adjective B2 Business

Meaning: The sale of goods directly to the public for their own use (not for resale).

Example: She works in retail management.

Another example: The retail price is $50.

Collocations: retail price · retail store · in retail

Synonyms: consumer sales, selling (direct)

Antonyms: wholesale

Word family: retailer (n) · retail (v) · retailing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Retail sells to USERS; wholesale sells to SHOPS. The price difference between them is the shop's margin.

🗣 In spoken American English: Black Friday is its championship game.

Register: Formal — business essential.

wholesale /ˈhəʊlseɪl/ noun / adjective B2 Business

Meaning: The sale of goods in large quantities to stores, which then sell them to the public.

Example: Shops buy at wholesale prices.

Another example: The wholesale market opens at dawn.

Collocations: wholesale price · wholesale market · buy wholesale

Synonyms: bulk sales, trade sales

Antonyms: retail

Word family: wholesaler (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Buying wholesale skips the shop's markup — clubs like Costco sell near-wholesale to members.

🗣 In spoken American English: Every shopkeeper's morning starts in its markets.

Register: Formal — business essential.

inventory /ˈɪnvəntɔːri/ noun B2 Business

Meaning: All the goods a company has in stock, ready to sell; also a complete list of items somewhere.

Example: The store counts inventory every month.

Another example: Low inventory delayed deliveries.

Collocations: inventory levels · in inventory · inventory count

Synonyms: stock, goods, supply on hand

Word family: inventories (n pl) · inventory (v — to list)

⚠ Common mistake: American pronunciation: IN-ven-tor-ee. Games stole the word for the hero's bag of items.

🗣 In spoken American English: End-of-year counts close every shop for a day of clipboards.

Register: Formal — business essential.

outsource /ˈaʊtsɔːrs/ verb B2 Business

Meaning: To arrange for work to be done by another company or people outside your own, often in another country, to save money.

Example: The firm outsourced its call center.

Another example: Many companies outsource cleaning.

Collocations: outsource work · outsource to · outsourced jobs

Synonyms: contract out, offshore (abroad), delegate (internal)

Antonyms: insource

Word family: outsourcing (n) · outsourced (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Outsourcing buys outside hands; offshoring moves them abroad. Debates pair it with local jobs lost and prices lowered.

🗣 In spoken American English: Your support call may cross an ocean before breakfast.

Register: Formal — modern business essential.

acquire /əˈkwaɪər/ verb B2 Business

Meaning: To gain or buy something, especially a company or property; to learn a skill or habit gradually.

Example: The group acquired a smaller rival.

Another example: Children acquire language naturally.

Collocations: acquire a company · acquire skills · newly acquired

Synonyms: buy, obtain, gain

Antonyms: sell, lose

Word family: acquisition (n) · acquired (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: Companies are ACQUIRED; languages are acquired; tastes are acquired ('an acquired taste' = learned to like slowly).

🗣 In spoken American English: M&A news (mergers and acquisitions) runs on this verb.

Register: Formal — business essential.

warehouse /ˈweərhaʊs/ noun B2 Business

Meaning: A large building where goods are stored before being sold or sent out.

Example: The goods wait in a warehouse near the port.

Another example: Warehouse jobs grew with online shopping.

Collocations: a warehouse · warehouse worker · warehouse stock

Synonyms: storage depot, distribution center

Word family: warehouses (n pl) · warehousing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Ware + house = goods + building. Online shopping multiplied them along every highway.

🗣 In spoken American English: Forklifts beep through them day and night.

Register: Neutral — business essential.

shipment /ˈʃɪpmənt/ noun B2 Business

Meaning: A quantity of goods sent together from one place to another by ship, truck, plane, or train; the act of sending them.

Example: The shipment arrives on Friday.

Another example: A shipment of phones left the factory.

Collocations: a shipment of · shipment arrives · track the shipment

Synonyms: delivery, cargo, consignment

Word family: shipments (n pl) · ship (v) · shipping (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Despite the name, shipments travel by truck and plane too — the verb 'ship' outgrew the sea.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Your shipment is on its way' is e-commerce's favorite sentence.

Register: Formal — logistics essential.