get by
verb
got by; got by or gotten by; getting by; gets by
1
: to succeed with the least possible effort or accomplishment
2
: to make ends meet : survive
3
: to proceed without being discovered, criticized, or punished
Examples of get by in a Sentence
working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump's across-the-board tariffs will function like a national sales tax, driving up the cost of everyday necessities, including the food, medicine, clothing, and other essentials that families rely on just to get by.
—
Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
As a result, the vast number of garment workers, many of whom get by with a $200 minimum monthly wage, will be the hardest hit.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
During this recruitment period, Chavez relied on donations to get by.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 31 Mar. 2025
The ball gets by Maryland goalkeeper Logan McNaney as Penn State scores in the first half of a Big Ten men’s lacrosse game at SECU Stadium.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get by
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Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
As a result, the vast number of garment workers, many of whom get by with a $200 minimum monthly wage, will be the hardest hit.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
During this recruitment period, Chavez relied on donations to get by.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 31 Mar. 2025
The ball gets by Maryland goalkeeper Logan McNaney as Penn State scores in the first half of a Big Ten men’s lacrosse game at SECU Stadium.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get by
Cite this Entry
“Get by.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20by. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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