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get by

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

Definition of get 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
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Examples of get by in a Sentence

working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely

First Known Use of get by

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for get by

Time Traveler

The first known use of get by was in 1841

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Cite this Entry

“Get by.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 10 December 2019.

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More from Merriam-Webster on get by

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for get by

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with get by

Nglish: Translation of get by for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of get by for Arabic Speakers

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