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get over — recover from

phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon

To start feeling better after something bad, such as an illness, disappointment, or a difficult experience.

Say it like a native

Textbook It took me a while to recover from the disappointment.

Native It took me a while to get over it.

'Get over' is the everyday verb for recovering from an illness or upset; 'recover from the disappointment' is heavier.

Pattern: get over (something)

In use

  • It took her a few weeks to get over the flu.health
  • After my team lost the final, it was hard, but I managed to get over it by focusing on my studies.IELTS speaking

Common mistake

✗ It took months to get over from the breakup.

✓ It took months to get over the breakup.

'Get over' takes the thing directly — no 'from'.

Common collocations

  • get over + setback — the flu, a breakup, the shock, it

Don't confuse it

Not the same as 'get by' (which means to manage or survive).

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