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

By considering the way the Large Magellanic Cloud's gravity pulls on the Milky Way and how the gravity of the Triangulum Galaxy pulls on Andromeda, researchers refined how close Andromeda and the Milky Way galaxies will get by running a multitude of simulations. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Dec. 2025

This beloved drama follows a family of Black sharecroppers trying to get by in 1930s Louisiana. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025

Generational wealth is elusive for many, in fact, just getting by is the order of the day for most. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 24 Dec. 2025

Already missing Micah Parsons after the star pass rusher suffered a season-ending knee injury in a loss at Denver last week, the Packers had to get by without Love, who took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Chicago's Austin Booker in the second quarter. —CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025

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