# get by with

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

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

## Definition

to manage or survive using only a small amount of something, like money or help.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He gets by with to speak little English." but "He gets by with speaking little English." — the preposition 'with' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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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.