—| B2-C1 (intermediate to advanced) |—

In North American English, this phrasal verb typically means:

• to communicate a message or idea

EXAMPLES:

1. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand what you’re getting at. Could you explain your idea in a different way, please?”

2. “During the electoral debate, it was clear that he was trying to get at something important, but unfortunately it was not well communicated; he wasn’t making sense.”

Have you ever tried to get at something that someone just didn’t understand? What happened? Let me know in the comments below.

ASSOCIATED WORDS:

Some synonyms of “to get at” include:

• to try to say (informal; verb phrase)

• to mean (standard; verb)