get off the ground

verb

To succeed or begin to succeed.

“He couldn't get George's career off the ground.”

Similar
take off
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Meanings

verbget off the ground (third-person singular simple present gets off the ground, present participle getting off the ground, simple past got off the ground, past participle (UK) got off the ground or (US) gotten off the ground)

present singular third person gets off the ground · participle present getting off the ground · past got off the ground · UK participle past got off the ground · US participle past gotten off the ground

  1. idiomaticintransitiveTo succeed or begin to succeed.

    His big plans to get rich never quite seemed to get off the ground.

  2. idiomatictransitiveTo make (something) succeed.

    He couldn't get George's career off the ground.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbget started or set in motion, used figuratively

Similar
take off
Broader
startgoget going
Also see
take off

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

get off the ground. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20off%20the%20ground

MLA

“get off the ground.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20off%20the%20ground. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get off the ground,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20off%20the%20ground.

Source: get off the ground on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.