go-getter

American  

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

noun

Informal.

• go-getters
  plural

1. an enterprising, aggressive person.

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go-getter British  

noun

1. informal an ambitious enterprising person

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• go-getting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• go-getters
  plural

Etymology

Origin of go-getter

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

go-getter go-getters

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

They suggested that the country’s legendary work ethic and go-getter spirit might be a form of mental illness that they called “Americanitis.”

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2024

“That young go-getter Eugene Hammond is behind this story,” he said.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

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

Let’s stipulate up front that there’s a difference between the go-getters and the suck-ups.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 25, 2022

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