get by
verb
got by; got by or gotten by; getting by; gets by
1
: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment
2
: to make ends meet : survive
3
: to proceed without being discovered, criticized, or punished
Examples of get by in a Sentence
working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely
Recent Examples on the Web
Isbel took third on his hit when the ball got by right fielder Wenceel Pérez for a two-base error.
—
CBS News, 9 May 2026
The previous record was the $36 million Saquon Barkley got by signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
The National Diaper Bank Network, a national nonprofit that tracks diaper insecurity, found about 60% of low-income families nationwide struggle with the cost of diapers and rely on less-frequent changes to get by.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
No wonder so many recent graduates are lighting up social media with posts about the difficulties of finding a job in their field, the crushing burden of paying off big loans, and the increasing inability to get by, much less thrive.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
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CBS News, 9 May 2026
The previous record was the $36 million Saquon Barkley got by signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
The National Diaper Bank Network, a national nonprofit that tracks diaper insecurity, found about 60% of low-income families nationwide struggle with the cost of diapers and rely on less-frequent changes to get by.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
No wonder so many recent graduates are lighting up social media with posts about the difficulties of finding a job in their field, the crushing burden of paying off big loans, and the increasing inability to get by, much less thrive.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
Cite this Entry
“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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