get physical

Idioms

Make physical contact, either forcefully or sexually. For example, Stop pushing—there's no need to get physical, or Thirteen is too young to get physical in that way. [Slang; second half of 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.

See Examples For:

get physical

They are gatekeepers when all I want to do is ask a question or get physical copies of records.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

There was a "verbal fight", the star said - but she insisted it "didn't get physical".

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025

Last year, with the prospects of transfers looming, Cummings told The Times he was hoping to be sent to a prison that was wheelchair accessible and where he could get physical therapy for his arthritis.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2025

“We knew they were going to try to come out in the third quarter and get physical with us and affect us a little bit,” Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe said.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024

He’s not going one hundred percent and doesn’t get physical with anyone.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023