1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To receive a surprisingly light or lenient punishment.
"She expected to lose her licence, but she got off with just a small fine."
inseparable
get off with
B2 informal inseparable transitive
To escape serious punishment, or (British informal) to have a casual romantic or sexual encounter with someone.
In plain English
To not be punished much, or to start kissing or being romantic with someone.
What does "get off with" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
(British informal) To begin a romantic or sexual relationship or encounter with someone.
"He got off with her at the office party and they've been together ever since."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To descend from something together with someone — the idiomatic senses diverge significantly from this.
Actually means
To not be punished much, or to start kissing or being romantic with someone.
Usage tip
The romantic/sexual sense is distinctly British slang and may not be understood in North American English. The legal sense ('got off with a warning') is used on both sides of the Atlantic.
Words that pair with "get off with"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
warning fine caution someone at a party a light sentence probation
How to conjugate "get off with"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
get off with
I/you/we/they
3rd person
gets off with
he/she/it
Past simple
got off with
yesterday
Past participle
got/gotten off with
have + pp
-ing form
getting off with
continuous
Hear "get off with" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "get off with" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "get off with"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.