breathing language

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to get at

—| 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)