AAAmerican Accent US

get back at

Inseparable

The verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.

How to say it

Main stress lands on the first particle: get BACK at. The trailing “at” reduces almost to nothing — expect a schwa, not a full vowel.

Do not release the /t/. Before the consonant of “back” the stop is held and swallowed rather than popped — the same unreleased-stop move as in hot dog. One smooth unit: “get back”.

What it means

To take revenge on someone.
- “She spread the rumour to get back at him.”
- “This isn't about justice — it's about getting back at them.”
Similar: take revenge on

The particle logic

Something returns to where it was, or is held in reserve.

Listen + practice

Hear “get back at” spoken naturally

Pick a sentence to record

Read the sentence aloud. Keep the stress on the particle and run the two words together — we’ll score every sound and flag what to work on.

Click to record

More GET phrasal verbs

Compare the whole family →

get up

To rise from bed, or to stand up.

get along

To have a friendly relationship with someone.

get over

To recover from an illness, a shock or an upset.

get through

To survive or endure a difficult period to its end.

get by

To survive or manage with barely enough.

get rid of

To remove or dispose of something unwanted.

get away

To escape.

get away with

To do something wrong and escape the consequences.

get back

To return to a place.

get in

To enter a car or a small enclosed space.

get out

To leave a car or a building.

get out of

To avoid a duty you were supposed to do.

get back at — meaning, examples & how to say it