as in to cope
to meet one's day-to-day needs
working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely
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Recent Examples of get by
Josh, who wants to be an investigative journalist, is an idealist in a PBS T-shirt (and with a PBS tote bag) who gets by on family money and is incapable of taking care of himself in any practical way.
—
Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Aric Dunmore, 33, has spent much of his life homeless, working odd jobs to get by.
—Kamal Morgan
may 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
The Brookings affordability report found nearly 38 million households would be able to get by if workers' wages rose by $10 per hour.
—Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 28 May 2026
Amid the savings crunch, many Americans are relying on credit to get by.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Aric Dunmore, 33, has spent much of his life homeless, working odd jobs to get by.
—Kamal Morgan
may 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
The Brookings affordability report found nearly 38 million households would be able to get by if workers' wages rose by $10 per hour.
—Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 28 May 2026
Amid the savings crunch, many Americans are relying on credit to get by.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for get by
Verb
-
However, these were never designed to cope with slow, low-flying drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
People live with a shortage of drinking water supplies, irrigation becomes trickier for ranchers, rivers dry up for rafters and fishermen, fish and wildlife struggle, and manufacturers must cope with less water.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Events already relocating elsewhere Davis said the delay has already forced nine events to move and could push as many as 30 more to do the same in 2030.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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It’s meant to go with the flow of kids’ pacing, which may mean spending a whole hour at a splash pad or being done after just a few experiences.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The drama starts before everyone even gets on the plane.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
18 June 2026
-
The Canadian winger had gotten on his bike and caught up to the Tunisian counter-attack from his own half.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Who furthermore makes no effort to try to get along with you or your family.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
-
All these cowboys are starting to get along!—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Interim manager Chad Tracy has now managed against every AL East team.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Hydrotherapy is the main draw and is especially helpful for active travelers or anyone managing chronic pain.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/get%20by. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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