Definitions

get by

VERB

manage, survive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

cope get along get on prosper subsist thrive

WEAK

contrive do do well enough exist fare flourish make ends meet make out muddle through shift succeed

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fail lose

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.

The truth was, the business owner was paying herself a small wage to get by having been through a lot of lows.

From BBC

“I’m taking my chances and hoping I can just get by and that we don’t have any home or dental emergencies,” Frew said.

From The Wall Street Journal

As for current trading, he says, he is getting by.

From BBC

He wants his children to do better, but for now, he needs their help to get by.

From Los Angeles Times

By Smithsonian magazine’s tally, Americans got by with a mere 20 million photocopies a year in the late 1950s.

From The Wall Street Journal