get by
Britishverb
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to pass; go past or overtake
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informal (intr, adverb) to manage, esp in spite of difficulties
I can get by with little money
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(intr) to be accepted or permitted
that book will never get by the authorities
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Move past, as in There isn't room for this car to get by .
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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]
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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]
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.
To get by, parents are searching their local back-to-school fairs for supplies, or seeking out backpack giveaways and school supply distributions.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
"It is clear to me that social media platforms are adopting tricks straight out of the big tech playbook and doing the bare minimum to get by," she said.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Stock valuations appear stretched, especially relative to the return investors can get by holding bonds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
One explanation has been gaining traction, though, and it’s bad news for producers: The world may be figuring out how to get by with less oil.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
“I shall get by very well,” I meditated.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
