For Individuals|For Teachers
Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free
Log in

Looking up...

Words

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • My Own Dictionary

Languages

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German

Features

  • Words of the Year
  • My Collections List
  • Reviews
  • Learning Resources
  • Community Collections

Learn

  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.

get

/ɡɛt/
verb★Beginner
general

to obtain or receive something

Can you get me a glass of water?

Can you obtain or bring me a glass of water?

He got a promotion at work.

He received a promotion at work.

💡

Commonly used in everyday language to describe acquiring something or receiving something.

informal

to understand or grasp something

I don't get this math problem.

I don't understand this math problem.

She finally got the joke.

She finally understood the joke.

💡

Often used informally to express understanding or comprehension.

informal

to become affected by an illness or condition

He got the flu last week.

He became affected by the flu last week.

She got a cold from her friend.

She became affected by a cold from her friend.

💡

Used informally to describe catching or developing an illness.

informal

to arrive at a place

We need to get to the airport by 5 PM.

We need to arrive at the airport by 5 PM.

How did you get here?

How did you arrive here?

💡

Commonly used to describe reaching a destination.

informal

to cause someone to do something

I need to get my brother to help me.

I need to cause my brother to help me.

She got him to agree to the plan.

She caused him to agree to the plan.

💡

Used to describe persuading or convincing someone to do something.

Collocations

get upto wake up or stand upget alongto have a good relationship with someoneget overto recover from somethingget awayto escape or take a vacationget byto manage or survive with minimal resources

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

get itphrase
to understand something
get over itphrase
to stop being upset about something
get a move onphrase
to hurry up
get the hang of itphrase
to learn how to do something
get the picturephrase
to understand a situation

💡Pro Tip

Versatile Usage

'Get' is one of the most commonly used verbs in English and can have many different meanings depending on the context. Pay attention to the context to understand its specific meaning.

Informal Contexts

In informal contexts, 'get' can often be used to mean 'understand' or 'become affected by'. For example, 'I don't get it' means 'I don't understand it'.

⚡Gold Rule

Context is Key

The meaning of 'get' heavily depends on the context in which it is used. Always consider the surrounding words and situation to determine its exact meaning.

Common Phrasal Verbs

'Get' is often used in phrasal verbs such as 'get up', 'get along', 'get over', etc. These phrasal verbs have specific meanings that are different from the individual words.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'geten', from Old English 'ġietan', meaning 'to seize, grasp, take hold of'.

📝Usage Notes

The verb 'get' is highly versatile and can be used in a wide range of contexts, from physical actions to abstract concepts. It is often used in informal speech and can have different meanings depending on the context.

Word Breakdown

get
to obtain or receive
root
English Dictionary

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →