Meaning
To make brief contact with someone, usually to exchange updates or check in, without going into great depth.
It’s common in workplace language, often used to arrange or describe a short, informal conversation or message.
Origin
The phrase comes from baseball, where a base-runner must physically touch each base in sequence to advance legally; failing to touch a base can get a runner called out even after apparently completing a play. The figurative sense of briefly checking in with someone — making the minimum necessary contact before moving on, much like a runner tagging a base — became established in American English office and business jargon by the mid-20th century, alongside a wider vocabulary of sports-derived workplace idioms.
Examples
Let’s touch base next week to see how the project is going.
I just wanted to touch base before the meeting.
She touched base with the client to confirm the details.
A: Have you talked to the vendor lately? B: Yes, we touched base yesterday.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'Touch base' mean?
To make brief contact with someone, usually to exchange updates or check in, without going into great depth.
It’s common in workplace language, often used to arrange or describe a short, informal conversation or message.