Phrasal verb
get by with
Definition
phrasal verb. to manage or survive using only a small amount of something, like money or help.
phrasal verb. to manage to survive or cope with a limited resource; indicates sufficiency despite scarcity.
Examples
“I can get by with just a small salad for lunch.”
“During the power cut, we had to get by with just candles and a battery-powered radio.”
“While the startup awaited its first round of funding, the founders had to get by with minimal equipment and a skeleton crew.”
Examples
simple
“I can get by with just a small salad for lunch.”
contextual
“During the power cut, we had to get by with just candles and a battery-powered radio.”
complex
“While the startup awaited its first round of funding, the founders had to get by with minimal equipment and a skeleton crew.”
Usage
the object is usually the resource or tool that is barely sufficient for the task.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'get by' (intransitive, meaning to survive generally) to show how 'with' introduces the specific means of survival.
Pitfall
He gets by with to speak little English.
He gets by with speaking little English.
the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.
Phrasal verb
Particles
by with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
get + by + with + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/get-by-with