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

Aymeric Laporte had no intention of letting Lionel Messi get by him after the little genius laid off a pass and headed towards the Spain penalty area. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Already the spiraling cost of everyday necessities like groceries, prescriptions and gas have forced her to get by on a lot less. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 19 July 2026

Can an arena show get by nowadays on presence alone, sans props? — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 July 2026

When planted in groups or close to other plants, helenium (Helenium autumnale) may get by without staking, especially the shorter varieties. — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 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