GETTING BY Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

getting by

verb

present participle of get by

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 These cities and towns promised better jobs, cheaper homes, less traffic and higher quality of life, outweighing Florida’s allure of tropical weather and ease of getting by on Spanish alone. — Elliot Spagat, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 The result, says Roya, is deepening apathy among her fellow citizens, whose preoccupation now is just getting by. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026 That free ticket, obtained by getting by hitting two of six numbers on a previous drawing, is now worth $6 million. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026 That is not the performance of a team getting by on heart. — Sylvana Quader Sinha, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Mexico passed its opening test with flying colors, getting by South Africa 2-0. — Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 18 June 2026 Two lanes of traffic are now getting by after the multi-vehicle crash. — Laura Fay, CBS News, 17 June 2026 Even with two incomes, the family is just getting by. — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 16 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for getting by

Verb

The band has spent hours in interviews explaining their comeback story, finding Armstrong (and new drummer Colin Brittain), and coping with the loss of Bennington.

— Brian Welk, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026
Many Americans, coping with the high cost of living, are increasingly relying on credit cards to help maintain their spending.

— Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of coping

Verb

The success of Oasis Live ’25 — and the fact that the brothers are still getting along well enough to do press for their documentary together — has sparked rumors of a further Oasis tour, perhaps next year.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Everyone’s getting along for now Two nights ago, my daughter refused to go to sleep well past her bedtime.

— Chris Branch, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of getting along

Verb

CreativeFuture, the nonprofit advocating for creative copyright protections, was doing their own work, as were representatives from the TV Academy.

— Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
So the idea is that a particle has definite properties independent of what distant particles are doing.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of doing

Verb

Some of us would like to spend less time cursing sun damage, some of us have been honing a gentle routine for managing acne for years, and some of us want to smooth without exacerbating rosacea or eczema.

— Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
Compression boots are not a cure-all, but for people managing swelling, recovering from workouts or living with lymphedema, consistent use paired with appropriate pressure settings and a broader routine can make the investment worthwhile.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026