get by

verb

got by; got by or gotten by; getting by; gets by

intransitive verb

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

Synonyms of get by

• cope
• do
• get on
• get along
• manage

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

For most of their history, the Panthers have gotten by with mediocre safeties, undervaluing a position that can be manned by a real game-changer. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026

Federal employees are guaranteed to receive back pay once the shutdown ends, according to a 2019 law, but getting by until then can be hard. —Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

Millman, his wife and their teenage daughter are barely getting by on his two part-time jobs, one bagging groceries, the other helping homebound seniors. —Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026

The Halls get by on around $1,500 a month from his Social Security benefits, plus assistance from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. —Taylor Sisk, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for get by

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

get by

verb

1

: to make ends meet : manage

2

: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment