get going
Idioms-
See get a move on .
-
get something going . Start something, get something into full swing. For example, Once we get production going we'll have no more problems . This usage also appears in when the going gets tough, the tough get going , meaning that difficulties spur on capable individuals; the first tough here means “difficult,” whereas the second means “strong-minded, resolute.” For example, That problem won't stop Tom; when the going gets tough, the tough get going . Also see swing into action .
-
Make someone talkative or active, as in Once he got her going on her grandchildren, there was no stopping her . [ Colloquial ; late 1800s]
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.
Bhatia, who batted excellently for 54 for Thursday, could not get going – nor India's returning captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
The elders knew: There is nothing like the vibe in New York City when the Knicks get going.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Because we have active children, we still wake up at 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, but there’s not as much of a rush to get going.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
Saints' comeback nearly failed to get going as Hastings dotted down against his former club under pressure from Field as he just about squeezed the ball down before he went in to touch.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
It was obvious he needed to get going because he glanced at his watch.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
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.
