Touch Base Meaning—To Touchbase or Touch Base

What does “touch base” or “touchbase” mean? This common communication can be found in the workplace. And for those who are seeing the idiom used for the first time, it can be confusing to comprehend what it means.

Learn what the idiom “touchbase” means in this short guide…

“Touch base” meaning

The meaning of a “touch base” is to connect with someone. For example, “I want to touch base with you.” This implies the person who is saying this has intention to reconnect with you on a personal level. They are feeling like they have lost a connection with you and are looking to restablish this.

Often confused with the baseball term to “touch base.” This is when a baseball player has the act of touching base (the baseball base). It is far less common than the business use of the word (the intention to contact each other).

What does the baseball term mean?

The baseball term referrs to the act of touching a base after a ball is hit. In the game of baseball, it allows the player to become “safe” from getting tagged out.

Common places “touch base” is used

Most commonly, “touch base” is used in business settings:

• Email: A phrase that’s used between two colleagues or business people.
• Business communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, or other forms of real-time communication.

“Touch base” synonyms

Synonyms for “touch base” include:

• Chat
• Speak
• Have a friendly chat.
• Renew communicaton.
• Visit.
• Talk tete-a-tete.
• Have a “one to one” conversation.

Is it spelled “touch base” or “touchbase”

The correct spelling is “touch base” rather than “touchbase.” For example, management within an office could send an email asking to “touch base” with each of their employees. Or they could send an email asking each of the employees to have a “touch base” with their clients to ensure that everyone is happy.

Common communication

Here are common phrases used in the workplace:

“I wanted to touch base with you.”

Meaning to reconnect. Typically, this is said when there is a lack of exchange of verbal or digital conversation.

“Email touch base”

This phrase is used when the implied mode of exchange is through email. For example, “I wanted to have an email touch base with you but I haven’t heard back.”

“Let’s touch base”

A general reconnect statement where one person is asking the other to focus on the connection the two (or the group) may have.

Examples of “touch base” in a sentence

Here are examples of “touch base” in a sentence:

• “I’m looking to touch base with your manager. Could you please send me along?”
• “We sent an email a few days ago but didn’t hear back. I’m looking to touch base again.”
• “Can we touch base? I haven’t heard from you in a few weeks, and it would be nice to connect again?”

Common questions

Questions about the English language.

What is a “touch base” meeting?

A “touch base” meeting is the intention to reconnect. For example, a meeting is called on behalf of the executive leader to “touch base” with the client.

Is “touch bases” correct?

No, the plural form of “touch base” is simply, “touch base.”

Sources

1. How to Use ‘Touch Base’ | Meaning of … – Merriam-Webster
2. TOUCH BASE | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
3. 5 Synonyms & Antonyms for TOUCH BASE – Thesaurus.com