get on

verb

got on; got on or gotten on; getting on; gets on

intransitive verb

1

: get along

was getting on in years

got on well with the boss

get on with the game

2

: to gain knowledge or understanding

got on to the racket

transitive verb

1

: to produce an unfortunate effect on : upset

the noise got on my nerves

2

: to criticize insistently

the fans got on him for losing the game

Synonyms of get on

• cope
• do
• get by
• get along
• make do
• make ends meet

Examples of get on in a Sentence

despite his new job's low pay, he was still getting on

find out how the marketing department is getting on with the new ad campaign

Recent Examples on the Web

Heaton quickly got on a Zoom with showrunner and creator Jesse McKeown and executive producer and director Jamie Childs, who were location scouting in Newfoundland at the time of the conversation. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026

The result was a scramble to get on coveted allocation lists—and a thriving secondary market where the sky seemed to be the limit. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Debate time for those bills would be limited and require coordination from committee leaders in both parties to get on the fast-track. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026

For a morning coffee or something quick before getting on the trail, add Deja Brew to the list for coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, and pastries. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for get on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

get on

verb

1

: get along sense 3

they got on well

2

: to start dealing with

I'll get on it right away

3

: to criticize (someone) repeatedly

4

: to grow old