get behind
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to fail to do work or pay money on time; to be slower than other people in a race or a process.
phrasal verb. to fail to maintain a schedule or pace, particularly regarding financial obligations or academic progress; often implies a cumulative delay.
I don't want to get behind with my rent.
If you miss too many classes, you will quickly get behind in your studies and struggle to catch up.
The construction project began to get behind schedule due to an unexpected shortage of raw materials and skilled labor.
often followed by 'with' for payments or 'in' for tasks and studies.
contrast with 'fall behind', which is a near-synonym but often implies a more passive loss of pace compared to the state of 'getting behind'.
I got behind of my work.I got behind with my work.use 'with' or 'in' to connect the phrase to the specific task; 'of' is not used here.
Last updated April 24, 2026