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.
Why Reinforcement Learning is a Game-Changer Reinforcement Learning edge lies in its efficiency and ingenuity: Lean and Mean: Unlike computationally intensive supervised learning that are trained on sprawling high-power data centers reinforcement learning can get by with less. Paul X. McCarthy, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025 In response to the foundation’s findings, Supervisor Pat Hume said in many cases, there are households who struggle to survive financially and do whatever to get by. Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2025 In one out of four large metro areas in the United States, a family of three with a household income of $100,000 will still struggle to get by, a LendingTree analysis reveals. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2025 While Fulmer has been stretched out and could start for the Red Sox in a pinch, the club may be able to get by until Brayan Bello is ready to return. Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 25 Apr. 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

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