Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

go-getter

American  
[goh-get-er, -get-] / ˈgoʊˈgɛt ər, -ˌgɛt- /

noun

Informal.
  • go-getters
    plural
  1. an enterprising, aggressive person.


go-getter British  

noun

  1. informal an ambitious enterprising person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns


Etymology

Origin of go-getter

1920–25, probably from the exhortation Go get 'em!; see -er 1


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

We could be the go-getter, the people pleaser, the co-dependent one, or even the savior.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026

Which young go-getter is going to take command?

From Slate ● Sep. 6, 2025

A brash go-getter, Sean Combs became an overnight millionaire when he launched Bad Boy Records in 1993 with a roster of top artists.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025

He was a go-getter, a ball of energy, and he knew virtually nothing about pop culture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 3, 2025

A go-getter might have dreamt up clever ways of promoting the two unpopular titles, but I have no mind for business and considered staying awake to be enough of an accomplishment.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Some go-getters get up even earlier than 5 a.m.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026

They sound like so many of the tendencies that the internet is warning self-actualized go-getters against:

From Slate ● Dec. 1, 2023

You might not ever want to be in the nerd posse or ride with the millionaire go-getters but knowing your mindset and tendencies will help you find your best path.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 17, 2022

In talking about Pete, do you think we underestimate the pressure that society puts on young men to be successful, to be the go-getters or to have a driving ambition?

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2020

It turns out that even two committed go-getters with a deep love and a robust work ethic can’t will themselves into being pregnant.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com