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
Isbel took third on his hit when the ball got by right fielder Wenceel Pérez for a two-base error.
—
ABC News, 8 May 2026
Herbst chided Williams for having four assistant city managers when prior city managers got by with two.
—Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
For many tenants, paying the rent all at once at the beginning of the month leaves them with no way to get by until the next paycheck arrives.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Carolina got by in the first round despite that trio only combining for one five-on-five point in four games.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
ABC News, 8 May 2026
Herbst chided Williams for having four assistant city managers when prior city managers got by with two.
—Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2026
For many tenants, paying the rent all at once at the beginning of the month leaves them with no way to get by until the next paycheck arrives.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Carolina got by in the first round despite that trio only combining for one five-on-five point in four games.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
Recent Examples of Synonyms for get by
Verb
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Those struggles can manifest in a range of ways, McClanahan said, from finding new coping mechanisms to replace food to ongoing body image concerns, even after weight loss.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
14 May 2026
-
Hostages found ways to cope with the possibility of being assaulted.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The advantage that Republicans might hope to obtain by this November, could, hypothetically, grow even more if the Democrats did nothing before 2028.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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Isn’t that what a team captain would do?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Audience members who got on the movie’s wavelength were audibly vibing with the narrative, while a majority of others were quick to leave the theater right as the screen cut to black.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
13 May 2026
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Soon enough, the twins pack their things and get on the road, driving their very cinematic classic car down the backroads of the American South.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Friends of friends will almost inevitably get along, new faces lead to new conversations, and old friends lead to a lot of laughter.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
12 May 2026
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Nicholas Elliott Sometimes, the best way to demonstrate your interpreter bona fides is by getting along with a filmmaker who’s notorious for being difficult.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Reece James ticks the most boxes, but would need to be managed through a tournament that could involve eight matches in 33 days.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Analysts also cheered the launch of software tools for developers and AI agents to manage and transact with USDC, Circle's flagship stablecoin.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/get%20by. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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