Get away with meaning
Get away with means to do something wrong and not be punished for it. It can also mean to do something in an easier way and still have no problem.
get away with something
get away with · got · getting
He cheated on the test and got away with it.
Get away with meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
-
1
Do something wrong and not be punished for it
get away with something
- He cheated on the test and got away with it.
- Don’t think you’ll get away with this!
- How does she get away with being late every day?
-
2
Do something in an easier way and still have no problem
get away with something
- You can get away with trainers at that restaurant.
- Can I get away with one coat of paint?
- We didn’t book, but we got away with it.
-
3
Steal something and escape with it
get away with something
- The thieves got away with two paintings.
- They got away with cash and some jewellery.
- Did they get away with anything valuable?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use get away with in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is get away with separable?
Get away with is not separable. The thing comes at the end: get away with it, get away with cheating. Use the -ing form for an action.
Get away with murder is an informal idiom. It means be allowed to do almost anything wrong: The youngest child gets away with murder.
Verb tenses for get away with
| Present | I get away with · she gets away with |
|---|---|
| Past | got away with |
| Present perfect | have got away with (US: have gotten away with) |
| -ing form | getting away with |
Common mistakes with get away with
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: He broke the rule, but he got away it.
Right: He broke the rule, but he got away with it.
You need with before the thing.
Wrong: She got away with to copy my homework.
Right: She got away with copying my homework.
After with, use the -ing form.
Wrong: They got away from paying for the tickets.
Right: They got away with not paying for the tickets.
For no punishment, use get away with.
Synonyms and opposites of get away with
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- get offget only a small punishment, often from a court
- escape punishmentthe formal way to say meaning 1
Opposite
- get caughtbe found doing something wrong
- pay for itsuffer later because of something wrong you did
Get away with quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
-
1He parked in the wrong place for a month and never got a fine. He ___ it.
Get away with means not be punished.
-
2Choose the right sentence.
Use with plus the -ing form.
-
3Can I wear jeans to the party? Yes, you can ___ jeans.
Get away with can mean do something easier and have no problem.
More phrasal verbs with get
All phrasal verbs with get, by level, with an exercise
19 phrasal verbs start with get. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- get upA1get out of bed after you sleep
- get onA2go onto a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get offA2leave a bus, train, plane, boat or bike
- get backA2return home or to a place where you were before
- get inA2enter a car, a taxi, a building or a small space
- get outA2leave a car, a room or a building
- get intoA2go inside a car, a building or a small space
- get overB1feel better after an illness
- get alongB1like each other and be friendly
- get aroundB1travel or move from place to place
- get togetherB1meet other people, usually to spend time together
- get byB2manage to live or do something with just enough money, skill or help
- get throughB2pass an exam or reach the next stage of a competition
- get awayB2escape from a person or a place
- get aheadB2be successful in your job or in life
- get on withB2start or continue doing something, especially work, after a pause
- get out ofB2avoid doing something you should do, often with an excuse
- get down toB2start doing something seriously and with full attention
Get away with FAQ
Questions people ask about get away with.
What does you won’t get away with this mean?
It is a warning: I will make sure you are punished. You hear it a lot in films.
What is the difference between get away and get away with?
Get away means escape or leave. Get away with something means do something wrong and not be punished for it.
Is get away with always negative?
Usually it is about doing something wrong. But it can be neutral too: You can get away with a smaller suitcase for two nights.
Use get away with in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.