phrasal verb · neutral

get on for

UK/ɡet ɒn fɔːr/US/ɡɛt ɑːn fɔːr/GET·on·FOR

speakingtask2

to be nearly a particular time, age, or number

Examples

It's getting on for midnight — we should go home.

He's getting on for sixty, but he still runs every day.

The crowd was getting on for a thousand by the end of the concert.

Band 8 sentence

By the time the volunteers arrived, the temperature was getting on for freezing, which slowed the rescue efforts.

Collocations

  • get on for midnight / get on for sixty
  • getting on for a hundred

Word family

get on for phrasal verbgetting on for continuous

Common mistakes

It's getting on to midnight.It's getting on for midnight.

He is getting on sixty.He is getting on for sixty.

Say it for a higher band

5almost6nearly7+get on for

Synonyms

nearly

almost

Easily confused

get near

The train gets near the station in five minutes.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In get …

Learn it with its set