as in coping
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 getting by
Much of the 31-year-old comic’s material revolves around getting by in an increasingly stupid world — half-hearted attempts at self-improvement, if not self-preservation.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Sadly, after about a decade of getting by, the dairy market tanked.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Sadly, after about a decade of getting by, the dairy market tanked.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for getting by
Verb
-
In some ways, coping with those contrasting styles should be nigh-on impossible.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The virtual event is intended to give participants emotional support, new coping skills and encouragement.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Ohtani went 0-for-2 with three walks in NLCS Game 1, getting on base well, but still unable to get his bat going.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
-
For me, there’s always the perversity of getting on a trendy bandwagon and just liking it for the irony.—
Marc Malkin,
Variety,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But like Milo, despite their size both breeds are noted for their good nature, being exceptionally friendly towards family and getting along well with small children.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
-
What's without question is that the longer a shutdown continues, the more pressure will be brought on essential services going to vulnerable people and federal workers getting along (either on the job or not) without pay.—
Todd Spangler,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In doing so, Berchtold was able to spend increasing time with Jan, even giving her a job at his furniture store.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
-
In borrowing from a patchwork of references, and steeping them in a brew both sacred and profane, D’Angelo was doing more than homage.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Because of this warmth in the Southwest, this also creates a drier than usual season, with precipitation expected to be 50-74% lower than usual, making out-of-season wildfires possible, according to AccuWeather.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Hoping to better understand the demand for smutty scares, Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville (Olivia Williams), spend an interminable evening at the theater surrounded by people throwing popcorn and making out while the topless woman onscreen is tortured and killed in a masked man’s dungeon.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Taking over for Brady after his retirement following the 2022 season, was Mayfield, who is off to the best start of his NFL career through six games even while managing without several key offensive weapons.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Most of those who shaped or even marginally influenced the events of October 7th are gone, leaving Gaza’s authority withered to the point that even managing the hostages has become paralyzingly difficult.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Getting by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/getting%20by. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share