get by
verb
got by; got by or gotten by; getting by; gets by
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
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
Or a parent might expect some empty-nest freedom once their child grows up, only to find that the kid still needs to live at home or can’t get by without financial support.
—
Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025
The movie, in its mud-on-the-doily way, is amusing enough to get by.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Dec. 2025
And where families can not only get by, but thrive.
—Jessie Opoien, jsonline.com, 2 Dec. 2025
One year later, that promise rings hollow for families stretching every dollar just to get by.
—Lee Saunders, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get by
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Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2025
The movie, in its mud-on-the-doily way, is amusing enough to get by.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Dec. 2025
And where families can not only get by, but thrive.
—Jessie Opoien, jsonline.com, 2 Dec. 2025
One year later, that promise rings hollow for families stretching every dollar just to get by.
—Lee Saunders, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get by
Cite this Entry
“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
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