Definition of get

Short definition: The word get means to receive something, obtain it, become a certain state, or understand an idea. People use it constantly in daily English, making it one of the most flexible and useful verbs.

Looking for a clear and real-life explanation of the word get? The word get is one of the most common—and most flexible—verbs in English. We use it to talk about receiving things, understanding ideas, reaching places, becoming something new, and even reacting emotionally. Because of that, get appears everywhere in daily conversation, often carrying very different meanings depending on the situation. Below, each meaning is explained in a relaxed, natural way with long examples that reflect how people truly use this word.

Verb forms: get, gets, getting, got, gotten (US)
Related: getter n., gettable adj.
Syllable: get

1. (Verb) To receive or obtain something.
   She finally got the email she had been waiting for all week, and it completely changed her plans for the weekend.
   He gets many messages every day, but this one felt especially important.
   They got a great opportunity after months of hard work and patience.

   Synonyms: receive, obtain, acquire, gain, secure, collect, pick up, take in, be given, come by, earn, get hold of
   Antonyms: lose, give away, miss, forfeit, drop, fail to get, hand over, surrender, discard, let go of, be denied, misplace

2. (Verb) To understand something mentally or emotionally.
   I finally get what you were trying to explain yesterday, and now everything makes much more sense.
   She didn’t get the joke at first, but then she started laughing.
   Once you really get the idea, the whole process becomes easier.

   Synonyms: understand, grasp, comprehend, realize, catch on, see, figure out, make sense of, perceive, interpret, take in, recognize
   Antonyms: misunderstand, be confused, miss the point, fail to grasp, misinterpret, not get, be puzzled, be unclear about, misunderstand completely, misread, be lost, not understand

3. (Verb) To reach or arrive at a place.
   We finally got to the hotel after driving for more than six hours.
   She usually gets home late, but today she managed to leave work early.
   Call me when you get there, so I know you arrived safely.

   Synonyms: arrive, reach, come to, make it to, show up at, land at, get to, travel to, reach destination, come in, turn up, pull in
   Antonyms: leave, depart, go away, miss arrival, fail to reach, turn back, stay behind, not arrive, move away, head out, go elsewhere, retreat

4. (Verb) To become or change into a new state or condition.
   He got tired after working late for several nights in a row.
   She got excited when she heard the good news.
   The weather is starting to get colder, so it’s time to bring out warmer clothes.

   Synonyms: become, grow, turn, change into, end up, develop into, start to be, shift into, transform, evolve into, progress to, move toward
   Antonyms: stay the same, remain, keep unchanged, resist change, avoid becoming, hold steady, stay as is, not transform, remain constant, keep stable, not shift, stay fixed

5. (Verb) To persuade or cause someone to do something.
   She finally got him to agree after explaining the benefits clearly.
   They got the team to work overtime by promising extra support.
   It’s not easy to get people to change their habits, but patience really helps.

   Synonyms: persuade, convince, talk into, influence, coax, encourage, motivate, prompt, induce, sway, lead, bring around
   Antonyms: discourage, dissuade, prevent, stop, block, talk out of, hinder, hold back, resist persuading, refuse to convince, fail to move, turn away

6. (Verb) To suffer from or catch an illness or problem.
   He got a cold after being caught in the rain all day.
   She got a headache from staring at the screen for too long.
   They got into trouble for breaking the rules.

   Synonyms: catch, come down with, contract, develop, suffer from, pick up, fall ill with, get sick with, be affected by, experience trouble, encounter problems, run into issues
   Antonyms: stay healthy, avoid illness, recover, heal, get better, escape problems, remain well, be free from trouble, avoid trouble, stay safe, remain unaffected, keep healthy

7. (Verb) To succeed in doing something difficult.
   She finally got the report finished, even though the deadline was tight.
   We got everything done before the guests arrived.
   He got through the interview, feeling relieved and proud of himself.

   Synonyms: manage, succeed in, accomplish, complete, achieve, pull off, carry out, finish, get through, handle, see through, wrap up
   Antonyms: fail, give up, quit, abandon, fall short, mess up, botch, not complete, drop out, surrender, lose heart, back out