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getting 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.

"Many restaurants aren't even making money. They're just getting by," Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

To be sure, people who earn much lower than average incomes are more likely to report having trouble getting by on their incomes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

Thousands of teachers more “are barely getting by just above the median income, living paycheck to paycheck after decades working for the district,” the union statement said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026

Mabel is a middle-aged woman who is barely getting by in the bleak Alaskan setting of Eowyn Ivey’s novel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

All your mental energy goes into getting by, so you don’t have to ask yourself any of the big questions.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah