get through
HighNeutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
to successfully finish or complete something, or to make contact with someone by phone.
Can also mean to survive a difficult period, to pass an exam or test, to consume a quantity of something, or to make someone understand something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly versatile phrasal verb whose meaning is heavily dependent on its direct object or prepositional complement. It often implies overcoming an obstacle or completing a process.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Usage with 'on the phone' (US: 'get through to her' / UK: 'get through to her') is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more common in UK English in the sense of 'consuming' ('get through a bottle of wine').
Frequency
Equally frequent and understood in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
get through somethingget through to someoneget someone through somethingget through (intransitive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “get through one's head”
- “get through thick and thin”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to finishing tasks, reaching deadlines, or making contact: 'We need to get through this backlog by Friday.'
Academic
Used for passing exams or completing difficult reading/research: 'Only half the students got through the final assessment.'
Everyday
Most common for daily tasks, difficult times, and phone calls: 'I can't get through to the council office.'
Technical
Rare, but can be used in telecoms ('the signal can't get through') or project management.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We'll never get through all this marking.
- I finally got through to the helpline after 20 minutes.
- How did you get through your driving test?
American English
- Let's get through this agenda first.
- I tried calling but couldn't get through.
- He got through three sandwiches at lunch.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It took me two hours to get through my homework.
- I can't get through to my friend on the phone.
- With a good plan, we can get through this project on time.
- The message finally got through to him that he was late.
- The new legislation will have a hard time getting through parliament.
- They got through an astonishing amount of food at the party.
- Her unwavering support got me through the most challenging period of my life.
- The sheer volume of data is immense, but we must get through it methodically.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a tunnel. To 'get through' it, you must start at one end and successfully come out the other side. This is the core idea: starting a process and finishing it.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE/DIFFICULTIES ARE OBSTACLES/PHYSICAL BARRIERS (We must get through them).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'получить через'. For 'complete', use 'закончить'. For 'contact by phone', use 'дозвониться'. For 'survive', use 'пережить'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect preposition: 'get through with this' (often redundant). Confusing 'get through' (complete/survive) with 'get over' (recover from).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'We need to get through this report today,' what is the closest meaning of 'get through'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Get through' focuses on the process of surviving or completing something difficult (e.g., get through the week). 'Get over' focuses on recovery after an event or illness (e.g., get over a breakup, get over the flu).
Yes. Transitive: 'get through the book' (object: the book). Intransitive: 'The call got through' (no direct object). It can also be ditransitive: 'get the supplies through the blockade' (object: supplies, complement: through...).
It is neutral but leans slightly informal. In very formal writing, synonyms like 'complete', 'finish', 'survive', or 'contact' might be preferred depending on the context.
Look at the context and the words that follow it. 'Get through TO someone' = contact by phone. 'Get through SOMETHING' (like work, exam, crisis) = complete/survive it. 'Get through a QUANTITY' (like a bottle) = consume it.