get along
Britishverb
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(often foll by with) to be friendly or compatible
my brother gets along well with everybody
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to manage, cope, or fare
how are you getting along in your job?
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(also preposition; often imperative) to go or move away; leave
interjection
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Also, get on . Be or continue to be on harmonious terms. For example, She finds it hard to get along with her in-laws , or He gets on well with all of his neighbors except one . The use of along dates from the late 1800s; the use of on dates from the early 1800s. A colloquial synonym for get along well is get on like a house afire , in effect comparing increasingly good relations to the rapid progress of a fire.
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Also, get on . Manage, fare with some success; also, prosper. For example, I can just get along in this town on those wages , or Her way of getting on in the world was to marry a rich man . The use of on dates from the late 1700s; the variant dates from the early 1800s.
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get along without . Manage without something, as in With that new car loan, he can't get along without a raise . [Early 1800s]
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Also, get on . Progress; advance, especially in years. For example, How are you getting along with the refinishing? or Dad doesn't hear too well; he's getting on, you know . [Late 1700s] Also see along in years ; get on , def. 5.
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get along with you . Go away; also, be quiet, drop the subject, as in “Leave me. Get along with you” (Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge , 1837). [First half of 1800s] Also see get on .
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.
If only we could all get along like that.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2026
We were reminded of how beautiful our country is and that the world is small and we can all get along.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Johnson added, “My advice to people is that if you want to get along, just move on. That’s what we did.”
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Roberts has spoken publicly about how the end-of-term rush leading up to the court’s annual three-month break can make it difficult for the justices to get along.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
One woman’s husband recovering from a stroke still told his wife he could get along without her while she went to jail.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
