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
That’s around $5 billion, more than eight times the amount collected in fees, and the lead left gets by far the biggest portion.
—
Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 June 2026
Sophia Wilson's shot deflected off Isabela and got by Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena in the 63rd minute for the lone goal before the 55,144 fans in Fortaleza.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
Computer models differ on just how warm the region could get by the end of the year, but suggest the water could warm by more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Late October quickly bled into the holidays, which bled into the cold and cruddy winter days when everyone is sick and using every ounce of energy just to get by.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for get by
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Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 June 2026
Sophia Wilson's shot deflected off Isabela and got by Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena in the 63rd minute for the lone goal before the 55,144 fans in Fortaleza.
—ABC News, 9 June 2026
Computer models differ on just how warm the region could get by the end of the year, but suggest the water could warm by more than 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Late October quickly bled into the holidays, which bled into the cold and cruddy winter days when everyone is sick and using every ounce of energy just to get by.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 6 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 15 Jun. 2026.
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