get along

verb

got along; got along or gotten along; getting along; gets along

intransitive verb

1

a

: to proceed toward a destination : progress

b

: to approach an advanced stage

especially : to approach old age

2

: to meet one's needs : manage

we got along on a minimum of clothing

3

: to be or remain on congenial terms

Synonyms of get along

• cope
• do
• get by
• get on
• make out
• make ends meet
• manage

Examples of get along in a Sentence

most college students can get along with just a few hours of sleep at night

the preparations for the party are getting along just fine

Recent Examples on the Web

Cucumber and sage just don't get along. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2026

Make an effort to get along with family members to avoid domestic strife. —Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026

In this sketch, a group of women worries about whether their husbands in the other room are getting along. —Rima Parikh, Vulture, 5 Apr. 2026

Perez and DeSantis don’t get along, and in Tallahassee, personal agendas get in the way — this time with serious consequences. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for get along

• evensong
• livelong
• overlong
• vietcong
• agung
• belong
• birdsong
• furlong
• headlong
• headstrong
• lifelong
• plainsong

Kids Definition

get along

verb

1

a

: progress

b

: to approach old age

getting along in years

2

: manage sense 4

get along on a small paycheck

3

: to be or remain on pleasant terms