get the message
idiom
informal
: to understand something that is not being said directly
When they didn't return my phone calls, I finally got the message.
He gave her an angry look, hoping she'd get the message.
Examples of get the message in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The feds targeted race tracks (forcing Del Mar to temporarily close), public transit and, notably, factories with the hope employers would get the message and hire citizens.
—
Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Employee Disengagement and Turnover When companies begin to treat experience as replaceable, experienced employees get the message that they're not valued.
—Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Manager Oliver Marmol and his club did not get the message, as the fourth-year manager has his club squarely in the mix for the National League Central crown.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
But the girl’s mother, who was asleep, didn’t get the message until later that afternoon.
—Nicole Acosta, People.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for get the message
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Employee Disengagement and Turnover When companies begin to treat experience as replaceable, experienced employees get the message that they're not valued.
—Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Manager Oliver Marmol and his club did not get the message, as the fourth-year manager has his club squarely in the mix for the National League Central crown.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
But the girl’s mother, who was asleep, didn’t get the message until later that afternoon.
—Nicole Acosta, People.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for get the message
Cite this Entry
“Get the message.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20the%20message. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share