get at

phrase

Synonyms of get atnext
1
: to reach effectively
The valve is hard to get at unless you have a special tool.
2
: to influence corruptly : bribe
3
: to turn one's attention to
The committee finally got at the main issue.
4
: to try to prove or make clear
I don't understand what he's getting at.

Examples of get at in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For Maloney and others who know the risk firsthand, going after one and not the other gets at only part of the problem. — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Immigration agents have waited at the airport and changed their tactics, including smashing car windows to get at people. — Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026 There is an obvious spot for Condon to get at-bats as the starting right fielder. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2026 His books get at the truth of what happened and is happening to American Indians on Turtle Island, this continent. — Jeff Gurney, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for get at

Word History

First Known Use

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of get at was in 1650

Rhymes for get at

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Browse Nearby Words

get a spanking
get at
getatable
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Cite this Entry

“Get at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20at. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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