Synonyms of get by

get by

verb

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

• cope
• do
• get on
• get along
• manage
• make do
• make out
• make ends meet
• survive
• make shift
• fare
• shift
• carry on
• afford
• fend for oneself
• eke out
• scrape (by or through)
• last
• scrape (out)
• scrounge
• contrive
• squeeze
• swing
• wring
• wrest

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall short
• fail
• collapse
• decline
• give up
• flounder
• wane
• slump
• fizzle
• peter (out)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of get by

But war debts, inflation and a temporary stop to profitable trade with the enormous British Empire left Americans scrambling to get by in the 1780s. — Sandra Slater, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026

The first occurred in Monday’s soggy win, as Jones let a bouncing ball in the gap get by him, resulting in a two-run triple. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Adaya Amaya, 47, ran a catering business from her home and now operates a food truck but barely gets by. — Elliot Spagat, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026

These cities and towns promised better jobs, cheaper homes, less traffic and higher quality of life, outweighing Florida's allure of tropical weather and ease of getting by on Spanish alone. — CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026