get over

British  

verb

1. to cross or surmount (something)

   the children got over the fence

2. (intr, preposition) to recover from (an illness, shock, etc)

3. (intr, preposition) to overcome or master (a problem)

   you'll soon get over your shyness

4. (intr, preposition) to appreciate fully

   I just can't get over seeing you again

5. (tr, adverb) to communicate effectively

   he had difficulty getting the message over

6. to bring (something necessary but unpleasant) to an end

   let's get this job over with quickly

---

get over Idioms  

1. Overcome, surmount, as in We have finally gotten over our biases . “Late 1600s”

2. Recover from, as in I just got over the flu , or I hope the children get over their parents' divorce quickly . [c. 1700] This usage sometimes appears as get over it , as on a bumper sticker following the 1992 presidential election: “Bush Lost, Get Over It.”

3. Also, get over with . Complete, have done with, especially something unpleasant. For example, When I finally got the proofreading over, I was ready for a day off , or I'm glad to get all that dental work over with . It also is put as get it over with , as in I might as well sign the check and get it over with . The first usage dates from the late 1800s, the second from the early 1800s.

---

Example Sentences

After all, few people back then correctly anticipated how giddy investors would later get over artificial intelligence.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

“I think people need to just get over it. This is the new reality.”

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

And at a certain point, you get over the sleep-deprivation feeling of tiny ants biting the inside of your skull.

From Slate • May 3, 2026

I asked them how someone can get over the embarrassment they might feel when their kite just doesn’t fly.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026

Jo spoke hopefully, but could not rid herself of the foreboding fear that this ‘little trial’ would be harder than the others, and that Laurie would not get over his ‘lovelornity’ as easily as heretofore.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• mend
• overcome
• survive