ɡɛt jɔːr ækt təˈɡɛðər
Work
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- To organize and rehearse a performance
What does "get your act together" mean?
- To organize yourself and start behaving more responsibly
- To become more focused and efficient
Examples
- You need to get your act together if you want to pass this course.
- After years of struggling, she finally got her act together and started a business.
- Get your act together—we leave in 10 minutes!
Origin
From show business—performers need to prepare and organize their act before going on stage. Applied broadly to personal organization.
How to use it
Often used as a mild criticism or encouragement. Can be direct but not necessarily harsh.
Similar expressions
pull yourself together
shape up
get organized
straighten up
Opposites
fall apart
be disorganized
be scattered
Related idioms
- hit the nail on the head
To describe exactly what is true or important
- call it a day
To stop working for the day
- have one's hands full
To be very busy with something
- learn the ropes
To learn the basics of a job or activity
- it's not rocket science
It's not difficult to understand or do
- hit the books
To study intensively
Use it in a practice answer
Try "get your act together" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.