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

Magallan said that most day care and child care providers are just getting by. —David Ingram, NBC news, 4 Jan. 2026

For many, that’s the difference between getting by and falling behind. —Kam Shenai, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026

Despite all this, PG&E seems to be getting by. —Nick Bowlin, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

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

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