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
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.
The bad Santas take Sherry as a hostage, though, and use her as a human shield to get by the cops who’ve arrived on the scene. Mark Meszoros, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2025 Kentucky is the 17th ranked team in the nation, and will look to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament with a deep run through the SEC Tournament, but will have to get by an Oklahoma team that has their backs against the wall. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 That’s not a subtle warning, considering Dollar General’s core customers often struggle to get by even when the economy is on solid footing. Kevin Williams, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025 Related article Tencent sees a future where everyone gets by with just a swipe of the hand New York is just one major city to have implemented AI in the hopes of improving transit systems. Nic F. Anderson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for get by

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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