get along

verb

1. (often foll by with) to be friendly or compatible

   my brother gets along well with everybody

2. to manage, cope, or fare

   how are you getting along in your job?

3. (also preposition; often imperative) to go or move away; leave

interjection

1. informal,  an exclamation indicating mild disbelief

Idioms and Phrases

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.

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.

get along without . Manage without something, as in With that new car loan, he can't get along without a raise . [Early 1800s]

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.

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

“Look, I want to be able to get along with the world.”

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Skills like the ability to persuade others, communicate well and get along with bosses and customers were becoming more important than physical strength.

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We can solve problems at scale through clever design, investment and determination—without depending on 7.7 billion people to get along.

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“It’s been great. Everyone’s getting along better than we ever have.”

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She sees them living with the tension between taking a stand against it and getting along.

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Related Words

• cope 
• flourish 
• get by 
• get on 
• prosper 
• succeed 
• thrive