Get — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈget/

Meaning & Definition of Get

Get (verb)

  1. to gain possession of
  2. to receive as a return, earn
  3. to obtain by concession or entreaty

Get (noun)

  1. something begotten:
  2. offspring
  3. the entire progeny of a male animal
  4. a document of release from obligation in Jewish law; specifically, a bill of divorce
  5. a religious divorce by Jewish law

Get (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in

    "I'm not sure I ever got the new math"

    similar: learn, master, pick up, get the hang of
    related: apprehend, comprehend, grasp, know, understand, absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in), imbibe, ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig up, discern, discover, examine, find out, hear, hit (on or upon), run down, scare up, search (for), see, track (down), tumble (to), unearth, major (in), study, memorize
    opposite: unlearn
    near: forget, misunderstand, miss, overlook, disregard, ignore, neglect

  2. to become affected with (a disease or disorder)

    "don't cough on me—I don't want to get your cold"

    similar: catch, come down (with), contract, go down (with) (chiefly British), sicken (with), take
    related: break out (with), die (from), succumb (to), fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen
    near: come back, gain, heal, mend, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back, rally, rebound, recover (from), shake (off)

  3. to become the father of

    "Abraham was quite old when he got Isaac, his only son"

    similar: beget, father, sire
    related: multiply, procreate, propagate, reproduce, spawn, bear, engender, gender, generate, produce

  4. to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest requests

    "tried to get the mayor to let us stage the concert in the town square, but she refused"

    similar: argue, bring, bring around, convert, convince, gain, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)
    related: blandish, blarney, cajole, coax, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, urge, wheedle, allure, beguile, lead on, lure, seduce, snow, tempt, brainwash, overpersuade, incline, influence, prompt, sell, sway, attract, draw, entice, interest, chew over, converse, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over), moot, reason (with)
    near: deter, discourage, dissuade, unsell

  5. to come upon after searching, study, or effort

    "redid the math problem until I got the right answer"

    similar: ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, hit (on or upon), hunt (down or up), learn, locate, nose out, root (out), rout (out), rummage, run down, scare up, scout (up), track (down), turn up
    related: espy, sight, spot, look for, search (for or out), seek
    opposite: miss, overlook, pass over
    near: lose, mislay, misplace, misset

  6. to disturb the peace of mind of (someone) especially by repeated disagreeable acts

    "continuously clearing your throat like that is starting to get to me"

    similar: aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, eat, exasperate, frost, gall, grate, gripe, hack (off), irk, irritate, itch, nark (British), nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, vex, get one's goat, get on one's nerves, get to, rub the wrong way, set one's teeth on edge, stick in one's craw, wear on
    related: hassle, heckle, nag, inflame, provoke, rouse, badger, bait, bullyrag, devil, hagride, harass, harry, pester, plague, tease, anger, antagonize, enrage, incense, infuriate, madden, rankle, roil, agitate, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, exercise, freak (out), fret, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry, affront, insult, miff, offend, outrage
    near: appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, propitiate, delight, gladden, gratify, please, satisfy, assure, cheer, comfort, console, content, quiet, reassure, solace, soothe

  7. to eventually have as a state or quality

    "it's going to get colder as winter approaches"

    similar: become, come, go, grow, run, turn, wax
    related: alter, change, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transform, transmute
    near: abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay

  8. to receive as return for effort

    "got an A on his final paper"

    similar: acquire, attain, bag, bring in, capture, carry, come by, draw, earn, gain, garner, knock down, land, make, obtain, procure, pull down, realize, reap, secure, win
    related: clear, gross, net, accomplish, achieve, notch (up), score, accumulate, amass, rack up, catch, pick up, annex, occupy, take over, reacquire, reattain, recapture, regain, remake
    opposite: forfeit, lose
    near: accord, give, grant, pay, give up, hand over, part (with), relinquish, surrender, yield

  9. to have a clear idea of

    "she was speaking so fast—did you get what she said?"

    similar: appreciate, apprehend, assimilate, behold, catch, catch on (to), cognize, compass, comprehend, conceive, cotton (to or on to), decipher, decode, dig, discern, grasp, grok, intuit, know, make, make out, perceive, recognize, register, savvy, see, seize, sense, tumble (to), twig, understand, pick up on
    related: absorb, digest, take in, realize, fathom, penetrate, pierce
    opposite: miss
    near: misapprehend, misconceive, misconstrue, misinterpret, misperceive, misread, mistake, misunderstand

  10. to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

    "the defense tackled the running back and got the ball"

    similar: bag, capture, catch, collar, cop (slang), corral, glom, grab, grapple, hook, land, nab, nail, net, nobble (British slang), rap, seize, snag, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, take hold (of)
    related: glove, halter, lasso, rope, apprehend, arrest, detain, bay, corner, clasp, clutch, fasten (on), fist, grasp, grip, hold, latch (on or onto), secure, rend, wrest, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, mesh, abduct, kidnap, spirit (away or off)
    opposite: miss
    near: discharge, free, liberate, release, drop, loosen, unhand

  11. to leave a place often for another

    "will get away to the Bahamas for a vacation"

    similar: bail, bail out, begone, book (slang), bug off, bug out, bugger off (British slang), buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get off, go, go off, move, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper (British), shove (off), step (along), take off, vamoose, walk out, beat it, hit the road, pull stakes, take a hike, take a powder
    related: set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle (chiefly British), run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: arrive, come, show up, turn up
    near: abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

  12. to achieve a victory over

    "you may have won this game, but I'll get you next time"

    similar: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, get the better of, knock for a loop
    related: sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to)
    near: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

  13. to transmit information or requests to

    "I've been trying all day, but I can't get either of them in order to ask the question"

    similar: address, communicate (with), contact, reach, get hold of, get in touch with, touch base (with)
    related: get through (to), acquaint, advise, apprise, brief, clue, enlighten, familiarize, fill in, inform, instruct, notify, tell, wise (up), buzz, call, phone, ring (up) (chiefly British), telephone, keep up (with)

  14. to put to death deliberately

    "I'll get you if you talk to the cops, the loan shark warned"

    similar: assassinate, bump off, croak (slang), dispatch, do in, execute, ice (slang), knock off, liquidate, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, slay, snuff, take out, terminate, whack (slang), do away with
    related: blow away, shoot, shoot down, blot out, carry off, claim, cut down, destroy, fell, kill, smite, zap, butcher, massacre, mow (down), slaughter, annihilate, eliminate, eradicate, exterminate, wipe out
    near: animate, raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive

  15. to throw into a state of mental uncertainty

    "what gets me is why she would do such a weird thing"

    similar: addle, baffle, bamboozle, beat, befog, befuddle, bemuse, bewilder, buffalo, confound, confuse, discombobulate, disorient, flummox, fox, fuddle, gravel, maze, muddle, muddy, mystify, perplex, pose, puzzle, vex, blow one's mind, go to one's head
    related: stick, stump, weird out, abash, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, mortify, nonplus, rattle, agitate, bother, chagrin, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, stun, unhinge, unsettle, upset, beguile, cozen, deceive, delude, dupe, fool, gull, hoax, hoodwink, humbug, misguide, mislead, snow, string along, take in, trick
    near: assure, reassure, satisfy, enlighten, inform

Get (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the descendants of a person, animal, or plant

    "in some animal species, a new mate will refuse to raise another male's get"

    similar: fruit, issue, offspring, posterity, progeny, seed, spawn
    related: brood, hatch, litter, young, child, scion, family, kin, lineage, stock
    near: ancestor, antecedent, father, forebear, forebearer, forefather, grandfather, parent, primogenitor, progenitor

Related Entry: Get about (verb)

Get about is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get about, not for get.

  1. to become known

    "it got about that the company was having financial difficulties"

    similar: break, circulate, come out, get around, get out, get round, leak (out), out, spread
    related: develop, transpire, unfold, disclose, reveal, spill, tell
    near: hush (up), suppress, conceal, disguise, hide, mask, secrete

Related Entry: Get across (verb)

Get across is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get across, not for get.

  1. to make plain or understandable

    "what I'm trying to get across is that there simply is no money for the project"

    similar: clarify, clear (up), construe, demonstrate, demystify, elucidate, explain, explicate, expound, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, simplify, spell out, unriddle
    related: decipher, decode, analyze, break down, disentangle, undo, unravel, unscramble, untangle, resolve, solve, define, specify, annotate, commentate, gloss
    opposite: obscure
    near: befog, cloud, confound, confuse, obfuscate

Related Entry: Get along (verb)

Get along is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get along, not for get.

  1. to meet one's day-to-day needs

    "most college students can get along with just a few hours of sleep at night"

    similar: cope, do, fare, get by, get on, make out, manage, shift, fend for oneself, make do, make ends meet, make shift
    related: carry on, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge, last, survive, eke out, scrape (out), squeeze, wrest, wring, afford, swing
    near: collapse, fail, fall short, fizzle, flounder, decline, peter (out), slump, wane, give up

  2. to move forward along a course

    "the preparations for the party are getting along just fine"

    similar: advance, come, come along, do, fare, forge, get on, go, go along, go off, march, pace, proceed, progress, gain ground
    related: accelerate, fast-forward, speed, approach, near, journey, pass, repair, run, travel, wend, actuate, drive, impel, propel, push, take out
    opposite: remain, stand, stay, stop
    near: arrest, balk, block, check, detain, halt, hinder, hold back, impede, nip, obstruct, slow (down or up), stem, repress, retard, stunt, suppress, delay, interrupt, stall, cramp, hamper, inhibit, cease, let up, pause, regress, wait

Related Entry: Get around (verb)

Get around is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get around, not for get.

  1. to achieve a victory over

    "somehow, an inexperienced lawyer managed to get around the media giant's stable of high-priced legal eagles"

    similar: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, take, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, get the better of, knock for a loop
    related: sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to)
    near: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

  2. to avoid having to comply with (something) especially through cleverness

    "somehow she managed to get around the rules for paying the sales tax on a car bought out of state"

    similar: beat, bypass, circumvent, dodge, shortcut, sidestep, skirt
    related: avoid, duck, elude, end-run, escape, eschew, evade, outflank, shake, shirk, shun, disobey, disregard, flout, ignore, avert, deflect, divert, obviate, parry, prevent, ward (off)
    opposite: comply (with), follow, keep, obey, observe
    near: accede (to), acquiesce (to), assent (to), accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome, catch, contract, incur

  3. to become known

    "word of the discovery of gold quickly got around"

    similar: break, circulate, come out, get about, get out, get round, leak (out), out, spread
    related: develop, transpire, unfold, disclose, reveal, spill, tell
    near: hush (up), suppress, conceal, disguise, hide, mask, secrete

  4. to get or keep away from (as a responsibility) through cleverness or trickery

    "their lawyer has spent months trying to get around certain restrictions in the contract"

    similar: avoid, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, finesse, scape, shake, shirk, shuffle (out of), shun, weasel (out of), fight shy of, keep clear of, stay clear of, steer clear of
    related: miss, avert, deflect, divert, obviate, parry, prevent, ward (off), ban, bar, debar, eliminate, except, exclude, preclude, rule out, bypass, circumvent, skirt, foil, fox, frustrate, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach, thwart
    near: accept, court, embrace, pursue, seek, welcome, catch, contract, incur

Related Entry: Get back (verb)

Get back is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get back, not for get.

  1. to get again in one's possession

    "the distraught owner cried that she would do anything to get back her lost dog"

    similar: re-collect, reacquire, recapture, reclaim, recoup, recover, regain, repossess, retake, retrieve
    related: recruit, replenish, redeem, repurchase, rescue
    near: lose, mislay, misplace

Related Entry: Get by (verb)

Get by is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get by, not for get.

  1. to meet one's day-to-day needs

    "working at night paid my college tuition and enabled me to get by—but just barely"

    similar: cope, do, fare, get along, get on, make out, manage, shift, fend for oneself, make do, make ends meet, make shift
    related: carry on, contrive, scrape (by or through), scrounge, last, survive, eke out, scrape (out), squeeze, wrest, wring, afford, swing
    near: collapse, fail, fall short, fizzle, flounder, decline, peter (out), slump, wane, give up

Related Entry: Get down (verb)

Get down is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get down, not for get.

  1. to come down from something (as a vehicle)

    "I was getting down from the seaplane when a gust of wind swept away my hat"

    similar: alight, descend, disembark, dismount, light
    related: deplane, detrain
    opposite: embark
    near: board, climb (aboard), get in, mount, enplane, entrain

  2. to make sad

    "it's really getting him down that there does not seem to be one woman who will date him"

    similar: bum (out), burden, dash, deject, depress, oppress, sadden, weigh down
    related: ail, distress, trouble, afflict, torment, torture, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, unnerve, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, disturb, exercise, freak (out), perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, worry
    opposite: brighten, buoy, cheer (up), gladden, lighten, rejoice
    near: animate, enliven, invigorate, assure, comfort, console, reassure, solace, soothe, excite, inspire, stimulate, elate, exhilarate, encourage, hearten, delight, gratify, please, boost, elevate, lift, uplift

  3. to take into the stomach through the mouth and throat

    "with her sore throat, liquids are the only thing she can get down"

    similar: down, ingest, swallow
    related: drink, guzzle, imbibe, knock back, sip, bolt, devour, gobble (up or down), gulp, ingurgitate, consume, eat, mouth (down), put away, sup, gorge, scarf, scoff, wolf, chew, gnaw (at or on), lap, lick, munch, nibble (on), peck (at), ruminate, dispatch, finish, polish off

Related Entry: Get-go (noun)

Get-go is a different word from Get. The synonyms below are for get-go, not for get.

  1. the point at which something begins

    "from the get-go, their relationship was tumultuous and doomed to fail"

    similar: alpha, baseline, beginning, birth, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold
    related: drawing board, first base, ground zero, square one, creation, founding, inauguration, initiation, institution, origination, cradle, fountain, fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, well, wellspring, dawning, opening, advent, appearance, arrival, debut, emergence, childhood, infancy, youth
    opposite: close, conclusion, end, ending, omega
    near: cessation, closing, closure, completion, finale, finish, period, stop, termination, windup

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Get

The most common words with a similar meaning to Get:

Slang: cop, book, croak, ice, off, whack
British: nark, scarper, do down
Chiefly British: go down (with), clear off
British slang: nobble, bugger off
learn, master, pick up, catch, come down (with), contract, sicken (with), take, beget, father, sire, argue, bring, bring around, convert, convince, gain, induce, move, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over), ascertain, descry, detect, determine, dig out, dig up, discover, dredge (up), ferret (out), find, find out, hit (on or upon), hunt (down or up), locate, nose out, root (out)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Get

Words with the opposite meaning of Get:

unlearn, miss, overlook, pass over, forfeit, lose, arrive, come, show up, turn up, lose (to)

Related Words for Get

absorb, digest, drink (in), imbibe, examine, hear, search (for), unearth, major (in), study, memorize, break out (with), die (from), succumb (to), fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen, multiply, procreate, propagate, reproduce, bear, engender, gender, generate

Near Antonyms of Get

forget, misunderstand, disregard, ignore, neglect, come back, gain, heal, mend, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back, rally, rebound, recover (from), shake (off), deter, discourage, dissuade, unsell, mislay, misplace, misset, appease, conciliate, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate

Word Forms of Get

Inflections: got, gotten, getting, gets, gittin

Origin & Etymology of Get

Middle English, from Old Norse geta to get, beget; akin to Old English bigietan to beget, Latin prehendere to seize, grasp, Greek chandanein to hold, contain

First known use: 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Get

  • Topics: Common Actions / Verbs

Words & Phrases Containing Get

get about, get across, get after

Frequently Asked Questions about Get

What does "Get" mean?

"Get" means to gain possession of. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to gain possession of. It has 16 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Get"?

Other words for "Get" include learn, master, pick up, catch, come down (with), contract, go down (with) and sicken (with). The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Get" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Get"?

There are 598 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Get". Common alternatives include learn, master, pick up, catch, come down (with), contract, go down (with), sicken (with), take and beget.

What is a slang word for "Get"?

Slang words for "Get" include cop, book, croak, ice, off and whack.

What is the opposite of "Get"?

Antonyms of "Get" include unlearn, miss, overlook, pass over, forfeit, lose, arrive and come. Near antonyms include forget, misunderstand, disregard and ignore.

How do you use "Get" in a sentence?

Examples of "Get" in a sentence: "I'm not sure I ever got the new math"; "don't cough on me—I don't want to get your cold"; "Abraham was quite old when he got Isaac, his only son".

Is "Get" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Get" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Get"?

"Get" is pronounced /ˈget/.