# get by on

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/get-by-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to have just enough of something, like money or sleep, to survive or finish a task.

For teachers: to manage or survive with a limited amount of a specific resource; typically used with money, sleep, or food.

## Examples

- I can get by on five hours of sleep.
- When he was a student, he had to get by on a very small budget every month.
- The small non-profit organization managed to get by on private donations and local grants for nearly a decade before securing government funding.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He gets by on with very little money." but "He gets by on very little money." — the preposition 'on' already connects the verb to the resource; adding 'with' is redundant and incorrect.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun representing the resource being used.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'get by' (used without an object to mean 'manage generally') to show how 'on' introduces the specific means of survival.

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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.