How to Use the Phrasal Verb ‘Get Over’
“Do people ever get over being shy? I think it’s with you for life, like the color of your eyes.”
Get over has a few different meanings. In this post, we’ll look at some of its definitions, common uses and grammar points.
1. To stop feeling ill or unhappy.
When we start to feel well after an illness or when we feel happy again after something bad has happened, we get over it. So we can say,
“It took him a few days to get over the flu.”
“She was upset about not getting the job, but she got over it.”
2. To recover from heartbreak.
If we get over someone, we start to forget them and we feel happy again after a relationship has ended with them. For example,
“He never got over her.”
“It took me a while to get over the breakup.”
3. To overcome a fear or difficulty.
When we get over a difficulty or a problem, we find a way to deal with it or we solve it. So we can say,
“I need to get over my fear of heights.”
“I don’t know how we’re going to get over this problem.”
4. To accept or believe something surprising.
We can also use ‘get over’ when we’re so surprised about something that we can’t stop thinking about it. This expression is usually used in the negative form. For example,
“They couldn’t get over how good the band was!”
“I can’t get over how rude he was.”
Practice what you’ve learned today! Complete the following sentences and share them in the comments:
“I need to get over the fear of . . . . . .“
“It took me a while to get over . . . . . .“
“I can’t get over how . . . . . .“
