touch base
Make brief contact
Touch base is to make brief contact with someone, usually to exchange updates or confirm alignment: Let's touch base next week about the project.
The phrase comes from baseball, where runners must touch bases to be safe.
In business contexts, it often signals a quick check-in rather than a substantive meeting: I just wanted to touch base before the deadline.
Registering one's presence
- catch upReach someone ahead
- reach outInitiate communication with someone
- connectJoin or link
- follow upContinue investigating something
sync · debrief · brief · update · confer · consult · discuss · chat
Contact by phone
- conference callPhone meeting with multiple participants
- video chatLive audiovisual conversation
- sit-downServed while seated
- one-on-oneDirect, between two
huddle · standup · touchpoint · appointment · rendezvous · face-to-face · zoom · phone call
Harmonious mutual connection
- reconnectEstablish contact again
- nurtureSupport growth and development
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- colleagueProfessional associate
stay connected · client · stakeholder · professional · courtesy call · goodwill · touchpoint
One's relative position
- updateNew version or information
- progress reportSummary of advancement made
- milestoneNotable event marking progress
- deliverableRequired project result
timeline · on track · feedback · recap · review · assessment · moving forward · next steps
check-in
Registering one's presence
follow up · sync · debrief · brief · update · confer · consult · discuss · chat · talk
call
Contact by phone
- conference callPhone meeting with multiple participants
- video chatLive audiovisual conversation
- sit-downServed while seated
one-on-one · huddle · standup · touchpoint · appointment · rendezvous · face-to-face · zoom · phone call · coffee chat
rapport
Harmonious mutual connection
- reconnectEstablish contact again
- nurtureSupport growth and development
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
stay connected · colleague · client · stakeholder · professional · courtesy call · goodwill · touchpoint
status
One's relative position
- updateNew version or information
- progress reportSummary of advancement made
- milestoneNotable event marking progress
deliverable · timeline · on track · feedback · recap · review · assessment · moving forward · next steps · pending
- business jargonacronym, scalability, buzzword, drill down, low-hanging fruit
- buzzwordssynergy, leverage, paradigm, stakeholder, scalable
- clichescliche, platitude, bromide, tired phrase, worn phrase
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- office jargonsynergy, circle back, deep dive, action item, deliverable
- social actionsinteract, communicate, connect, socialize, engage
touch baseignore
Refuse to notice
neglect · avoid · ghost · blow off · give the cold shoulder
touch baseneglect
Failure to provide care
abandon · forget about · take for granted · overlook · pay no mind
base, touch, touching, touched, untouched, touches, baseless, touchable, baseline