ENGLISH
REFERENCE

get over sth/sb

phrasal verb.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford
Definition

phrasal verb. to feel better after a bad experience, such as an illness or the end of a relationship.

phrasal verb. to recover from an ailment, emotional distress, or a significant setback; to reach a state where a past event no longer negatively impacts one's current well-being.

SIMPLE

It took him a long time to get over the flu.

CONTEXTUAL

She is still trying to get over her ex-boyfriend after their difficult breakup last summer.

COMPLEX

The company struggled to get over the reputational damage caused by the scandal, despite launching an extensive public relations campaign.

  • recover from
  • bounce back
  • move on
  • heal
Particles
over
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
get + over + object
Usage

the object is usually a negative event, a sickness, or a person from a past relationship.

Teaching tip

distinguish from 'recover' (more formal/medical) and 'move on' (focuses on the future rather than the healing process); 'get over' is the standard conversational choice for emotional recovery.

Pitfall

I finally got over from my cold.I finally got over my cold.the verb is transitive and takes the object directly after the particle 'over' without an extra preposition like 'from'.

Last updated April 24, 2026