get by

British  

verb

1. to pass; go past or overtake

2. informal (intr, adverb) to manage, esp in spite of difficulties

   I can get by with little money

3. (intr) to be accepted or permitted

   that book will never get by the authorities

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get by Idioms  

1. Move past, as in There isn't room for this car to get by .

2. Manage to succeed or get along; also, barely succeed. For example, He's getting by even though he only works half-time , or If he applied himself, Paul could be getting A's, but instead he's just getting by . [Early 1900s]

3. Be unnoticed; also, get approval or pass inspection. For example, I wonder if these errors will get by the proofreader , or He hoped the paint job would get by . [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

You also, crucially, need to know your current Social Security benefit or your projected future benefit, depending on your situation, which you can get by logging in to your online Social Security account.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Under the scheme every household would receive an "Essential Energy Allowance", which would provide "enough to get by" and be charged at a discounted price.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Here, Lebanon's migrant workers, among those hit hardest by the fighting, have stepped up to support others in their community now struggling to get by.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Vendors at the market are watching their profit margins dwindle and weighing just how much they can raise prices, aware that many of their customers are also struggling to get by.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

With that, you could get by with so little.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

• cope
• get along
• get on
• prosper
• subsist
• thrive