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

Synonyms

• cope
• do
• get on
• get along
• manage

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

Gina Phillips was one of the New Orleans artist who was able to secure a Joan Mitchell Foundation Emergency Grant to help get by. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025

Too much of Charlotte’s growth has benefited corporations and developers while working families struggle to get by. —Charlotte Observer, 13 Aug. 2025

Families not reliant on cars save thousands yearly, which is often the difference between barely getting by and putting money towards their dreams — a college education for their kids, a retirement plan or even a GED or vocational certificate to change their career path. —Monica Rivera, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025

If these got by your spam filters to your inbox, forward them to your company’s internal security person or persons. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 27 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for get by

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

get by

verb

1

: to make ends meet : manage

2

: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment