1 A2 neutral
To travel to different places or to move freely from place to place.
"She uses a bicycle to get around the city."
inseparable
get around
B1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To move from place to place, to avoid or circumvent something, or (of news) to spread widely.
In plain English
To travel to different places, or to find a way past a problem.
What does "get around" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To find a way to avoid or deal with a rule, problem, or obstacle.
"The lawyers found a way to get around the regulation."
“
There's no getting around it.
— Common idiomatic phrase; used, for example, in Winston Churchill's wartime speeches and widely throughout English literature
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
(Of news or information) to spread among many people.
"Word got around quickly that the director was leaving."
“
It gets around.
— Common colloquial expression, widely used in American English journalism and fiction
inseparable
4 B2 idiomatic informal
To persuade someone, usually by charm or flattery, to do what you want.
"She always knew how to get around her father when she wanted something."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move around something or in a circular direction — which extends naturally to circumventing obstacles and moving about freely.
Actually means
To travel to different places, or to find a way past a problem.
Usage tip
The sense 'to spread (of news or gossip)' is impersonal: 'Word gets around.' The sense of circumventing something is often used in legal or bureaucratic contexts.
Words that pair with "get around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
town city law problem obstacle word news
How to conjugate "get around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
get around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets around
he/she/it
Past simple
got around
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten around
have + pp
-ing form
getting around
continuous
Hear "get around" in the wild
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Other ways to say "get around"
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Keep exploring
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