Get On With Somebody — Meaning, Definition & Examples

Definition

1. (phrasal verb) To have a good, friendly relationship with someone — to like each other and enjoy spending time together.
2. (phrasal verb) To have a difficult or uncomfortable relationship with someone — used in the negative to say you do not like each other.

Context Alive

You start a new job and your manager pairs you with a colleague for a big project. You are nervous at first because you do not know her at all. But within a day you discover you have the same work style, the same sense of humour, and the same hatred of unnecessary meetings. You get on with her straight away. By the end of the week you are finishing each other's sentences in meetings. Sometimes the people you work best with are the ones you never expected.

Meanings

2 meanings

1 To Have a Good Relationship With Someone (Phrasal Verb) Very Common ▼

This meaning is about liking someone and having a smooth, easy relationship with them. Imagine moving into a new neighbourhood and discovering that your next-door neighbour loves the same football team, has kids the same age as yours, and is always happy to lend you things — you get on with him from day one. This is describing a connection that feels natural and comfortable. You might say "I get on really well with my boss — she's easy to talk to", or someone could say "the kids get on with each other brilliantly" about children who play together without fighting. Or picture two strangers sitting next to each other on a long flight who start chatting and get on with each other so well that they exchange numbers at the end. The phrase suggests the relationship is smooth, natural, and requires no effort.

✏️ Get on with somebody is the standard British English way to describe how well you relate to someone. In American English, "get along with" is more common, but both are widely understood everywhere. You will hear it constantly in everyday British conversation: "Do you get on with your flatmate?" "We get on fine." "They don't get on at all." The adverbs "well," "really well," "fine," and "brilliantly" are often added for emphasis.

2 To Have a Difficult Relationship (Phrasal Verb — Negative) Very Common ▼

This meaning is the flip side — when you do not like someone or the relationship is tense and uncomfortable. Imagine two colleagues who disagree on everything, avoid sitting near each other, and only speak when absolutely necessary — they clearly do not get on with each other. This is a polite way of saying two people dislike each other without being too dramatic about it. You might hear "she doesn't get on with her mother-in-law" about a tense family relationship, or someone could say "we just don't get on — we're too different". Or picture two flatmates who started as friends but now argue about dishes, noise, and bills every single day — they simply do not get on with each other anymore. The phrase keeps the description calm and understated even when the reality is not.

✏️ Saying "we don't get on" is much softer and more polite than saying "I don't like him" or "we hate each other." It is the British way of describing conflict without making it sound too personal or aggressive. You might hear it in professional settings too — "they don't get on" is a common explanation for workplace tension. It puts the focus on the relationship rather than blaming one person.

Common Patterns

Positive Relationship

get on with + someone → the standard pattern — the person follows

She gets on with everyone in the office.

get on well / really well with + someone → emphasising a strong, easy relationship

I get on really well with my sister-in-law.

get on with + someone + from the start → liking each other immediately

They got on with each other from the very start.

Negative / Neutral

not get on with + someone → to have a bad or uncomfortable relationship

He doesn't get on with his new manager at all.

do you get on with + someone? → asking about the quality of a relationship

Do you get on with your neighbours?

get on with + someone + like a house on fire → to become very close friends very quickly

My parents got on with her like a house on fire.

Collocations

10 collocations

get on well with someone

to have a good, smooth relationship

get on with your colleagues

to have a friendly relationship with the people you work with

get on with your neighbours

to have a comfortable, friendly relationship with people living near you

not get on with someone

to have a difficult or tense relationship

get on with each other

for two or more people to have a good relationship

get on with your in-laws

to have a good relationship with your partner's parents

get on brilliantly with

to have an excellent, very easy relationship

struggle to get on with

to find it hard to have a good relationship with someone

get on fine with

to have an acceptable, problem-free relationship

get on with someone from day one

to like each other immediately from the first meeting

Example Sentences

10 examples

1

I get on with my boss really well — she is fair, honest, and easy to talk to.

I have a great relationship with my manager — she is reasonable, sincere, and approachable.

2

Do you get on with your flatmate or is it one of those awkward situations?

Are you and your housemate on good terms or is there tension between you?

3

The two brothers don't get on with each other — they haven't spoken in years.

The two brothers have a terrible relationship — they haven't been in contact for years.

4

She gets on with everyone at school — teachers and students alike.

She has a good relationship with everyone at school — both teachers and classmates.

5

I was worried about the dinner, but my parents got on with my partner brilliantly.

I was nervous about the meal, but my parents and my partner hit it off straight away.

6

He struggles to get on with people who don't share his sense of humour.

He finds it hard to connect with people whose humour is different from his.

7

We didn't get on with each other at first, but over time we became good friends.

We had a rocky start, but eventually we grew into a strong friendship.

8

The new kid gets on with the rest of the class like he has been there for years.

The new student fits in with everyone as if he had always been part of the group.

9

They got on with each other like a house on fire from the moment they were introduced.

They became instant best friends the second they met.

10

It is hard to work in a team when two members simply do not get on with each other.

Working as a group is difficult when two people in the team have a bad relationship.

Synonyms & Antonyms

6 items

Synonyms

get along with

the American English equivalent — same meaning, same usage

hit it off

more informal — specifically about an instant, strong connection

bond with

suggests a deeper emotional connection forming over time

Antonyms

clash with

to have a bad relationship and disagree strongly

fall out with

to stop being friends after an argument

not see eye to eye with

to disagree on important things, making the relationship difficult