Get by
2 meanings · select one to explore
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Meaning 1 of 3
Definition
To survive with limited resources
Example sentence
He gets by with little money.
Real video usage
Three clips showing this meaning in natural speech.
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Common collocations
Natural word pairings to memorize.
Common pattern: get by on + amount/resource • get by without + something
- get by on a low income
- get by on very little money
- get by on a small salary
- get by on minimum wage
- get by without a car
- get by without much money
Separable usage
Can the object split the verb? Compare correct vs incorrect.
We can get by on my salary. ✅ (Correct)
We can get my salary by. ❌ (Incorrect)