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.
That has astronomers eagerly awaiting what can be seen as the shroud over the heart of the Milky Way gets at least partially lifted. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2026 Kramer’s note also gets at a larger frustration held by many entertainment executives around the state of news media in Hollywood. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026 What the novelist is getting at here resonates far beyond a single celebrity. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 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 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

See All Rhymes for get at

Browse Nearby Words

get a spanking
get at
getatable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Get at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20at. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on get at

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for get at

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All