get by
verb
got by; got by or gotten by; getting by; gets by
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
Mintyukov’s deal was worth more than he was expected to get by most NHL observers, but the Ducks didn’t say whether another team had signed Mintyukov to an offer sheet.
—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2026
Cape Verde gave the defending champions a major scare on Friday, forcing extra time before Argentina got by via a late own goal in an epic Round of 32 confrontation.
—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
France is a huge chalk to get by Paraguay on Saturday, while Argentina is nearly as big a favorite to advance past Egypt.
—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
His father worked at the Chip-n-Saw mill, and the family struggled to get by.
—
Keith O’Brien,
New Yorker,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
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Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2026
Cape Verde gave the defending champions a major scare on Friday, forcing extra time before Argentina got by via a late own goal in an epic Round of 32 confrontation.
—
Michael Lewis,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2026
France is a huge chalk to get by Paraguay on Saturday, while Argentina is nearly as big a favorite to advance past Egypt.
—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
His father worked at the Chip-n-Saw mill, and the family struggled to get by.
—
Keith O’Brien,
New Yorker,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
Cite this Entry
“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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