# get something over with

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/get-something-over-with
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To proceed to do something as soon as possible, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.

## Examples

- I want to get this homework over with today.
- I hate going to the dentist, so I always book the earliest appointment to get it over with.
- Rather than prolonging his anxiety by delaying the inevitable, he decided to face the difficult conversation and get it over with once and for all.

## Origin

A combination of the verb *get* and the prepositional phrase *over with*.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.