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

But growing up in public housing, in a family that was getting by, and attending public schools that were failing, left its mark on me. —CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

The White House’s sudden strategy shift has nonetheless left many regional nations struggling to get by, and experts have warned that aid cuts could lead to many more deaths. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 27 Feb. 2026

To get by in Miami-Dade, a family with the composition of Olivo and Torres’ — two adults, three teenagers — needs roughly $100,000 a year, or $8,277 a month, just to make ends meet, according to the Women’s Fund Miami’s Self Sufficiency Standard. —Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026

The actress plays Margarita, a fashionista living in West Hollywood’s Russian district who signs on to a fashion competition series both to help her family get by, financially, and to show what she’s made of, creatively. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Feb. 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