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
• fare
• get along
• get on
• make out
• manage
• shift

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

If these cuts move forward, many more Texans will face hunger, and the most vulnerable among us—children, seniors, veterans, and working families just trying to get by—will bear the brunt of this hardship. —Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025

Mujica thought politicians should live like average folks and frequently declared that the well-off in the world must get by on less. —John Otis, NPR, 13 May 2025

The Sky tried to get by without taking 3s last season, attempting a league-low 14.9 per game and averaging only 4.8 makes. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025

Given that the Red Sox are already trying to get by without Triston Casas, losing Gonzalez too would be a catastrophe. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 8 May 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