get away with

What does "get away with" mean?

1. To avoid punishment or detection for something wrong
2. To succeed with something risky

Examples

• He cheated on the test and got away with it.
• You won't get away with this!
• She thinks she can get away with anything.
• How did they get away with charging so much?
• He's been getting away with being late for months.

How to use it

Often implies someone did something wrong but wasn't punished. 'You won't get away with this!' is a common threat.

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• get up

  To rise from bed after sleeping

• get back

  To return to a place

• get along

  To have a friendly relationship with someone

• get away

  To escape from a place or person

• get over

  To recover from an illness, shock, or emotional upset

• get through

  To successfully complete or finish something difficult