GET BY Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

get by

verb

Definition of get by

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of get by There was Spencer, who was getting by far the most media attention and the most money. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 One of Kathleen Tejeda's students began freshman year just trying to get by. — Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 26 Oct. 2026 To get by, some families are cooking over fires made by burning wood, charcoal or cardboard. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 State police said all northbound lanes of the Bishop Ford were shut down after the crash, but traffic still got by on the right shoulder. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for get by

Recent Examples of Synonyms for get by

Verb

Lake County families, like those across the nation, are coping with higher prices for gasoline, groceries, housing and health care.

— Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Adam has always coped with the world by drawing—his artwork on yellow legal pads and sticky notes illustrates the novel—but now there’s a new girl in school who’s praised for her artwork, and Adam feels his identity as an artist slipping away.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of cope

Verb

Darmawan says people tend to assume that a household made up entirely of women will find a way to get along.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Oct. 2026
Despite not getting along from the get-go, Lexi and Ridge notice a spark between June and Dan and decide to set them up.

— Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of get along

Verb

The Rams still managed to rack up 513 yards of offense on the Broncos, including several big plays in which a Rams receiver was wide open, or several Bronco defenders missed tackles that turned a short gain into a big play.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2026
And our research at Xero shows that owners spend nearly 22 hours a month on finance alone—just tracking and managing money.

— Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026