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

With three off days in the next two weeks, the Dodgers — who put Walker Buehler on the injured list Wednesday — could try to get by with a four-man rotation for the time being. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2024

Faced with way-too-high gym rates and struggling to pay rent, Brittany presses onward in her training and hopes to get by with a little help from friends. —Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 22 June 2024

Donations in cash, matched by public funds Among the 48 Assembly candidates in New York who received matching funds, Dao Yin got by far the largest percentage of donations in cash. —Bianca Pallaro, New York Times, 11 June 2024

But the data is clear: Enabling low-wage workers to earn enough to get by is good for the economy. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

get by

verb

1

: to make ends meet : manage

2

: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment