GET BY Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

get by

verb

Definition of get by

as in to cope

to meet one's day-to-day needs working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of get by In the past, a second-rate software rollout cost a company time and money but rarely sank it, since a firm with a strong moat could get by. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Acuff went left and went right, getting by Grimes rather easily. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Only one lane of eastbound traffic was getting by during rush hour as police investigated. — Digital Producer, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 On the play before the TD, Bachmeier chased down a bad snap that got by him and was able to throw the ball away to avoid a huge loss. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for get by

Recent Examples of Synonyms for get by

Verb

People with the second phenotype, called durable, might have grown up in a predictable world—for example, a strict religious sect or just a family that experienced little change—and developed only certain coping strategies as a result.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Multiple uses John LoRusso, UConn master gardener coordinator for Windham County, said that leaves are a free precious resource for gardens and wildlife, offering nutrients for the soil and helping plants better cope through the winter months.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of cope

Verb

PhotoTat can have additional practical applications, including for medical tattoos like those done on cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

— Devika Rao, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026
OpenAI has reportedly floated the idea of giving the government up to a 5% stake in the company and suggested other leading AI companies do the same.

— Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of do

Verb

Escape vertically inside your home by moving upstairs or getting on top of counters to avoid being swept away.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
Dunbar got on the scoreboard later in the third quarter when wide receiver Detrick James caught a 20-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 49-6.

— Shiloh Robinson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of get on

Verb

For younger consumers who have always managed much of their lives through apps, these experiences often feel like different versions of the same activity.

— Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Separate nozzles also don't solve the problems of bonding incompatible materials or managing different printing temperatures.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026