get along

British  

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

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interjection

1. informal an exclamation indicating mild disbelief

get along Idioms  

1. 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.

2. 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.

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

4. 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.

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 .

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Example Sentences

"Everybody does still try to get along," says Maddy Bacher, 63, a Democrat originally from Connecticut.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

Seven years later, Lehman said she and her ex get along and sometimes spend time together with their children.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

“We have great chemistry — we all get along with each other,” added Pelovello, who handled the third leg Saturday for the defending state champions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

Still, these men prefer to hang onto it rather than accept the troubling possibility that women are just people — and most are easy to get along with if you treat them like equals.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

I didn’t figure that I could get along without my tongue.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

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