get by

Short definition: The phrase get by means to manage or survive with limited resources, skills, or money, often implying coping adequately without having everything you want.

Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the phrasal verb get by? This is a very common expression in English and it usually relates to survival, managing with limited resources, or doing something well enough. It can describe living with just enough money, coping in a difficult situation, or communicating at a basic level. Because it often carries a tone of “not perfect, but enough,” context is very important. Below are detailed meanings with realistic examples so you can clearly understand how get by works in everyday English.

Forms: get by, gets by, got by, gotten by / got by, getting by
Related: survive v., manage v., cope v., endure v.
Syllable: get-by

1. (Verb) To survive or manage with limited resources.

   To get by most commonly means managing to live or continue with only what is available, especially when money, time, or support is limited. It suggests coping well enough to survive, even if the situation isn’t comfortable or ideal.

   They don’t earn much, but they somehow get by every month.
   She learned how to get by on a tight budget during college.
   It’s not easy, but we’ll get by until things improve.

   Synonyms: survive, manage, cope, make do, scrape by, live modestly, endure, subsist, stay afloat, get through, pull through, hang on
   Antonyms: struggle severely, collapse financially, fail to survive, go bankrupt, fall apart, be overwhelmed, lose everything, be unable to cope, give up, sink, break down completely, be defeated

2. (Verb) To succeed at a basic or minimal level.

   Get by can also mean doing something well enough to meet minimum requirements, even if the result is not impressive. It suggests adequacy rather than excellence.

   He didn’t study much, but he still managed to get by in the exam.
   Her basic language skills were enough to get by while traveling.
   You don’t have to be perfect—just get by and improve later.

   Synonyms: pass barely, manage sufficiently, do adequately, cope reasonably, get through, meet minimum, perform acceptably, scrape through, survive the test, make it, do just enough, function adequately
   Antonyms: fail completely, excel greatly, outperform, exceed expectations, master fully, dominate, perform brilliantly, collapse under pressure, miss requirement, fall short badly, perform poorly, be outstandingly good

3. (Verb) To move past someone or something.

   In a physical sense, get by can mean passing someone or something in a narrow space. It often implies limited room or slight difficulty.

   Excuse me, can I get by to reach the door?
   The hallway was so crowded that it was hard to get by.
   She squeezed sideways to get by the parked cars.

   Synonyms: pass, move past, slip by, squeeze past, edge by, get through, move around, bypass physically, make way through, slide past, navigate around, go past
   Antonyms: block, stop movement, prevent passing, obstruct, stand in the way, bar access, restrict movement, trap, confine, hold back, block passage, deny access