What Does “Get away with sth” Mean?
“Get away with sth” means to do something wrong or bad without being punished or facing consequences.
Introduction
The phrase “get away with sth” is a common English phrasal verb. It is often used when someone does something wrong but manages to avoid punishment or blame. Understanding the “get away with sth meaning” helps learners speak and write more naturally in English. This phrase is useful in everyday conversations, storytelling, and even formal communication. Knowing how to use it correctly will improve your fluency and help you express ideas about actions and consequences clearly.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: get away with something
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: To avoid punishment for doing something wrong
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Get away with sth” is a separable phrasal verb. The object (something) can come after “get away with” or between “get away” and “with” in informal speech, but normally it follows the whole phrase.
- Correct: She got away with cheating on the test.
- Less common: She got it away with cheating. (Not recommended)
Pattern:
- Subject + get away with + object (something bad)
How to Use “Get away with sth”?
Use “get away with sth” when talking about someone avoiding punishment or blame for a bad action. It is often used in past tense but can be used in present or future contexts as well.
Examples of common contexts include breaking rules, lying, stealing, or doing something unfair without being caught or punished.
Examples
Imagine a student cheating on an exam but the teacher doesn’t find out. We can say:
- He got away with cheating on the exam.
- She always tries to get away with being late to work.
- The thief got away with stealing the jewelry.
- They got away with not paying their taxes last year.
- He thinks he can get away with lying to his parents.
These examples show “get away with sth in a sentence” used naturally to describe avoiding consequences.
Common Mistakes
Many learners confuse the word order or use the phrase with incorrect objects. Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: She got away cheating with the test.
Correct: She got away with cheating on the test. - Incorrect: They get away with it.
Correct: They got away with it. (Use past tense for finished actions) - Incorrect: I want to get away with this.
Correct: I want to get away with doing this.
Remember, always include “with” after “get away” and place the object after “with.”
Differences / Synonyms
“Get away with sth” is similar to phrases like “escape punishment” or “avoid consequences.” However, it is less formal and used more in spoken English.
- Escape punishment: More formal, used in writing or news reports.
- Get away with sth: Informal, common in everyday speech.
- Get off with: Means to receive a light punishment, not necessarily avoiding it.
For example, “He got off with a warning” means he was punished lightly, while “He got away with it” means he was not punished at all.
Common Collocations
We often use “get away with” with actions or things that are wrong or forbidden. Here are common collocations:
- Get away with cheating – avoiding punishment for dishonesty.
- Get away with stealing – avoid being caught for theft.
- Get away with lying – telling lies without consequences.
- Get away with murder (idiomatic) – do something very wrong without punishment.
- Get away with breaking rules – avoid penalties for rule-breaking.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of get away with sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “get away with sth”:
Anna: Did you hear that Tom didn’t get caught for skipping work?
Ben: Yeah, he really got away with it this time.
Anna: I wonder how long he can keep doing that.
Ben: Not forever, I guess.
Practice
Try filling in the blanks with the correct form of “get away with”:
- She __________ cheating on the test because the teacher didn’t notice.
- They think they can __________ breaking the rules without any punishment.
- He rarely __________ telling lies to his parents.
- If you don’t punish him, he will keep __________ it.
FAQs
- Q: Can “get away with” be used in present tense?
A: Yes, but it is more common in past tense to describe completed actions. - Q: Is “get away with” formal or informal?
A: It is mostly informal and used in everyday speech. - Q: Can I use “get away with” for positive actions?
A: No, it is used only for wrong or bad actions. - Q: What is the difference between “get away with” and “get off with”?
A: “Get away with” means no punishment, “get off with” means a light punishment. - Q: Can the object be a phrase or only a noun?
A: The object can be a noun or noun phrase describing the wrongdoing.
