Definition

Verb (phrasal verb): 1. To move from place to place; to travel. This meaning focuses on physical movement and transportation. 2. To become known; to spread. This meaning refers to information, especially news or rumors, circulating among people. 3. To avoid or circumvent a problem, rule, or difficulty. This meaning involves finding a way to not have to deal with an obstacle directly. 4. To be socially active; to socialize a lot. This is a less common, informal meaning.

Usage Examples

• To move/travel:
  • How does she get around without a car? She uses the bus and her bicycle.
  • It's easy to get around the city using the subway system.
• To become known/spread:
  • News of her promotion quickly got around the entire office.
  • Word got around that the store was having a huge sale.
• To avoid/circumvent:
  • He tried to get around the rule by finding a loophole in the contract.
  • There's no way to get around doing your homework.

Advanced Usage

• "To get around to (doing) something": This is a related but distinct phrasal verb. It means to finally find the time to do something you have intended to do.
  • I finally got around to cleaning the garage this weekend.

Variants and Related Words

• Getabout (verb, chiefly British): A variant spelling with the same meaning, primarily for the "to travel" sense.
• Circumvent (verb): A more formal synonym for the "to avoid a rule" meaning.
• Circulate (verb): A synonym for the "to become known/spread" meaning.

Synonyms

• Travel, navigate (for moving around).
• Spread, circulate (for news).
• Bypass, evade, skirt (for avoiding a problem).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Get about: (See "Variants" above).
• Get around to: (See "Advanced Usage" above).

Related Idioms

• To get one's way around: To become familiar with and able to navigate a place.
  • It took him a month to get his way around the new campus.

Verb

1. move around; move from place to place
   • How does she get around without a car?
2. be a social swinger; socialize a lot
3. avoid something unpleasant or laborious
   • You cannot bypass these rules!
4. be released or become known; of news
   • News of her death broke in the morning