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

The popular Carbone’s Kitchen has been operating with a large generator, but most of the smaller shops and service businesses there are trying to get by part-time with smaller ones. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026

But war debts, inflation and a temporary stop to profitable trade with the enormous British Empire left Americans scrambling to get by in the 1780s. — Sandra Slater, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026

The first occurred in Monday’s soggy win, as Jones let a bouncing ball in the gap get by him, resulting in a two-run triple. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

These cities and towns promised better jobs, cheaper homes, less traffic and higher quality of life, outweighing Florida’s allure of tropical weather and ease of getting by on Spanish alone. — Elliot Spagat, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 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