get by

verb

got by; got by or gotten by; getting by; gets by

intransitive verb

1
: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment
2
: to make ends meet : survive
3
: to proceed without being discovered, criticized, or punished

Examples of get by in a Sentence

working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely
Recent Examples on the Web But most Zimbabweans struggle to get by, coping with triple-digit inflation that has made their currency practically worthless. John Eligon, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 But over the course of his last few features, the Japanese director has centered characters who are at at least mildly sprained, and trying hard to get by on hope and a homemade splint. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 3 Mar. 2024 And as younger generations struggle to navigate a tricky housing market, immense student loans, and a volatile economy, many are depending on their parents perhaps for a longer amount of time in order to get by. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 Insect enthusiasts can see how bugs get by in a big world by watching A Real Bug's Life, now streaming on Disney+. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024 For those few not familiar with the story, it is set in the fictional Arabian city of Agrabah and follows a poor young man who gets by on his charm and thievery. Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Feb. 2024 Last season, the Rams attempted to get by with Ahkello Witherspoon, who played on a veteran-minimum contract, and second-year pros Derion Kendrick and Cobie Durant. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Up the hill sits a newer model that can get by on closer to 40 cubic feet per minute, or CFM, and a bit farther down the slope is the resort’s latest tool, which under ideal conditions can use as little as 10. Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024 Lee also took the opportunity to double down on her $50 minimum wage proposal citing a United Way report, which states that a family of four in the Bay Area requires $127,000 to just barely get by. Rafael Perez, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'get by.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of get by was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near get by

Cite this Entry

“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

get by

verb
1
: to make ends meet : manage
2
: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment

More from Merriam-Webster on get by

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