1 B1 informal
To be able to move from place to place, especially when this involves some difficulty.
"She still gets about surprisingly well at ninety, using only a walking stick."
inseparable
get about
B1 informal inseparable intransitive
To be able to move or travel to different places, or for news to spread widely.
In plain English
To move around easily to different places, or for a story to be heard by many people.
What does "get about" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
For news, gossip, or information to spread informally among people.
"Word gets about quickly in a small town — by Monday everyone had heard the news."
inseparable
3 B1 informal
To travel widely or have an active social life.
"He gets about a fair bit — you're likely to run into him at any event in the city."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To get yourself about — to move yourself around to different places.
Actually means
To move around easily to different places, or for a story to be heard by many people.
Usage tip
Primarily British English. When used for a person, often implies mobility despite age or difficulty. When news 'gets about', it means it is spreading informally. Also used loosely to mean someone is socially active.
Words that pair with "get about"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
news rumour town elderly independently word
How to conjugate "get about"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
get about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets about
he/she/it
Past simple
got about
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten about
have + pp
-ing form
getting about
continuous
Hear "get about" in the wild
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Other ways to say "get about"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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