get the message

phrase

: understand something that is not being said directly

When she didn't return my phone calls, I finally got the message. [=finally understood that she did not want to talk to me]

Examples of get the message in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet statistics and statements claiming that the problem is big—perhaps even existential for science—don’t really get the message across. — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2026

The cousin was thankful, but the Rev got the message that the family didn’t need financial help. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Residents in Jefferson and Clear Creek counties are getting the message. — Jennifer Oldham, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Hartley and Dome say that getting the message to students is important. — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for get the message

• expressage
• presage