Get rid of means to remove something or someone you don't want. It is used about things you no longer need and throw away, sell or give away, and also about habits, illnesses and other problems: get rid of a cough, get rid of a bad habit.
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get rid of + thing/habit/problem; got rid of (past); want/try to get rid of
- Before we moved, we got rid of most of our old furniture.
- It took me months to get rid of the habit of checking my phone in bed.
- The new software helped our office get rid of a lot of boring paperwork.
What changed
First versionI finally got rid from all the old cables I never use.
RevisionI finally got rid of all the old cables I never use.
From may seem logical after the idea of removing something, and off sounds similar, but the only correct preposition is of: get rid of. Only one preposition was changed in the sentence.
Throw away means to put something in the bin. Get rid of is wider: you can sell, give away or throw away the thing; what matters is that it's gone. Get rid of also works beyond objects: get rid of stress, get rid of a cold.
Your turn
Our old sofa is broken and takes up half the living room, so we're going to ___ it and buy a smaller one.
Show the answer
get rid of — The broken sofa is going to be replaced with a new one, so they want to remove it: get rid of. Get used to means to become familiar with something, and there's no point in getting used to a thing you are about to replace.
Write about an object or habit that you have removed from your life or want to remove. Say how you did it or plan to do it.
I got rid of my old winter coat by giving it to a charity shop near my office.
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