Get Underway
phrasal verb
Definition
To begin or start an activity, event, or process
Context Alive
After months of planning, fundraising, and endless meetings, the school renovation project finally got underway last Monday. Workers arrived at dawn, machines started roaring, and students watched excitedly from across the street as the old building began to transform.
Meanings
1 meaning 1 Begin or Start an Activity, Event, or Process (Verb phrase) — VERY COMMON Common ▼
This meaning is about something officially starting or beginning to happen. Imagine waiting for a concert to start — the lights go down, the crowd cheers, and the show finally gets underway with the opening song. This is getting underway — the moment something kicks off. You might say “The meeting got underway at 9 sharp,” or a news reporter could say the investigation has gotten underway after new evidence appeared. Or picture a marathon where thousands of runners stand at the starting line, and the race finally gets underway when the gun fires. The word carries a sense of anticipation and momentum. ✏️ This phrase is very popular in news and formal speech — you’ll hear it constantly in reports like “The trial gets underway tomorrow” or “Preparations are underway for the Olympics.” It sounds more polished than just saying “started.”
Vivid ExampleThe charity food drive got underway early Saturday morning, with dozens of volunteers arriving before sunrise to set up tables, sort donations, and welcome the first families who had been waiting in line since dawn.
Examples from the Street
“The meeting should get underway in about ten minutes.”
The meeting should begin in roughly ten minutes
“Once the project gets underway, things will move fast.”
Once the project actually starts, everything will progress quickly
“The investigation is now underway and results are expected next week.”
The inquiry has officially started and findings are due in seven days
Common Patterns
(event/project/process) gets underway → something officially begins or starts happening
get underway at (time) → scheduled to begin at a specific time
once (something) gets underway → after the initial start, implying things change or accelerate
about to get underway → on the verge of starting
finally got underway → started after delays or waiting
slow to get underway → taking a long time to begin properly
be underway → already started and currently happening
already/now underway → has started and is currently in progress
well underway → significantly progressed; far past the starting point
plans/preparations are underway → planning has begun and is actively happening
Collocations
3 collocationsproject gets underway
work on a project officially begins
investigation underway
an inquiry has started
proceedings got underway
the formal process started
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
The ceremony gets underway at 3 PM — make sure you’re there early to find a seat
The formal event begins at three in the afternoon — arrive ahead of time to secure a place to sit.
2
Once the renovation gets underway, the whole house is going to be a building site for months
As soon as the home improvement work starts, the entire property will be a construction zone for ages.
3
The tournament finally got underway after a two-hour delay because of the rain
The competition eventually started after being held up for a couple of hours due to the wet weather.
4
Construction on the new hospital is now underway and should be completed by next spring
Building work on the new medical facility has already begun and should be finished by the following season.
5
The negotiations were slow to get underway because neither side could agree on an agenda
The talks took a long time to begin because neither party could come to an agreement on what to discuss first.
6
The match is about to get underway — the players are walking onto the pitch right now
The game is on the verge of starting — the athletes are stepping onto the field as we speak.
7
Preparations for the festival are well underway — the stage is built and the food stalls are almost ready
Planning for the celebration has progressed significantly — the performance platform is assembled and the catering stands are nearly set up.
8
The police investigation got underway immediately after the robbery was reported
The law enforcement inquiry began straight away once the theft was officially filed.
9
The school year has barely got underway and the kids are already complaining about homework
The academic term has only just started and the children are already moaning about assignments.
10
A major rescue operation is underway after the earthquake struck the region early this morning
A large-scale emergency response is currently in progress after the tremor hit the area in the early hours today.
Learner Examples
★
Once the lesson gets underway, I try not to interrupt the flow — students learn best when they’re in a rhythm
After the class has started, I avoid breaking the pace — learners absorb knowledge most effectively when they’re in a steady pattern.
★
Preparations for the end-of-year English exams are well underway — students have been practising past papers for weeks
Planning for the final language assessments has progressed considerably — learners have been working on previous test material for several weeks.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
0 items
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsbegin
starting something
kick off
informal — starting an event
commence
formal — beginning
set off
starting a journey or process
Antonymscome to an end
finishing
wrap up
concluding something