Phrasal verb
get after
Definition
phrasal verb. to tell someone off or pressure them to do something they have been avoiding.
phrasal verb. to urge, scold, or pressure a person to complete a task or improve their behavior; often implies a repetitive or nagging quality.
Examples
“My boss is always getting after me about my messy desk.”
“If you don't get after him to finish his homework, he will just play video games all night.”
“The coach spent the entire practice getting after the players for their lack of focus and poor defensive positioning.”
Examples
simple
“My boss is always getting after me about my messy desk.”
contextual
“If you don't get after him to finish his homework, he will just play video games all night.”
complex
“The coach spent the entire practice getting after the players for their lack of focus and poor defensive positioning.”
Usage
usually followed by a person as the object, then the preposition 'about' or 'to'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'go after' (to pursue a goal or a criminal); 'get after' is more about verbal pressure or nagging.
Pitfall
I need to get after to him.
I need to get after him.
the verb is transitive and takes the object directly after the particle without an extra preposition.
Phrasal verb
Particles
after
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
get + after + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/get-after