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
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Recent Examples of getting by
Federal employees are guaranteed to receive back pay once the shutdown ends, according to a 2019 law, but getting by until then can be hard.
—
Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Millman, his wife and their teenage daughter are barely getting by on his two part-time jobs, one bagging groceries, the other helping homebound seniors.
—Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Traffic was briefly stopped in both directions, but cars are now getting by in all lanes.
—Laura Fay, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Their relationship enters a dramatic new phase when the latter — also single, barely getting by with ambitions to become a writer — gets pregnant after sleeping with her married professor and decides to keep the baby.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
As Americans are barely getting by because of inflation, tariffs, and a cost-of-living crisis, saving for retirement can feel like the priority lowest on the totem pole.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
She’s been there since January, mostly getting by on her own.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
For those who worked part-time while raising children, or who’ve spent decades just getting by with little chance to save for retirement, old age can hit hard.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
As cold weather continues to slam the South, the stories of how people and animals are getting by continue to filter in.
—Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Millman, his wife and their teenage daughter are barely getting by on his two part-time jobs, one bagging groceries, the other helping homebound seniors.
—Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Traffic was briefly stopped in both directions, but cars are now getting by in all lanes.
—Laura Fay, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Their relationship enters a dramatic new phase when the latter — also single, barely getting by with ambitions to become a writer — gets pregnant after sleeping with her married professor and decides to keep the baby.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 3 Apr. 2026
As Americans are barely getting by because of inflation, tariffs, and a cost-of-living crisis, saving for retirement can feel like the priority lowest on the totem pole.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
She’s been there since January, mostly getting by on her own.
—Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
For those who worked part-time while raising children, or who’ve spent decades just getting by with little chance to save for retirement, old age can hit hard.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
As cold weather continues to slam the South, the stories of how people and animals are getting by continue to filter in.
—Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for getting by
Verb
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Along the way, the newshound nurtured a personal passion for writing poetry as an outlet for coping with homesickness and stress.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
And coping with the disease has reignited her own Christian faith practice.—
Abby Roedel,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One incident turned into a crowd of people blocking and getting on top of a Metro bus, preventing it from moving and trapping Metro maintenance workers who were inside.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Beepers going off, getting on jets, going here and there, the whole thing, then coming back and spending three or four days writing the script, and then going to the screenings, and then starting it all over again.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In this sketch, a group of women worries about whether their husbands in the other room are getting along.—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Just two co-stars getting along.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Foo Fighters, pretty much the definition of a major international 21st century rock band, is doing a pop-up show in Bridgeport.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
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What Laura is doing is really important, but other things are really important to her.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After the fundraiser, sweet young couple Austin (Charles Melton) and Ashley (Cailee Spaeny) are making out by the tennis courts, fantasizing about one day having a family, when their boss, Janet (Michole Briana White), asks them to drop off Josh’s wallet at his house.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
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By the end, the vibe had apparently gotten away from him slightly — a couple in the audience was making out.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stafford is 38 and managing degenerative back issues.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Micky Arison is listed as managing general partner.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Getting by.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/getting%20by. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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