Meaning & use
getting in trouble
Last updated
“getting in trouble” is a form of “get in trouble”.
Meanings
phraseidiom
Being in a situation where you have done something wrong and may be punished or blamed by someone in authority.
Grammar: Used as a verb phrase or a noun-like gerund: He is afraid of getting in trouble.
Patterns
- getting in trouble for something
- getting in trouble with someone
He was worried about getting in trouble with the teacher.
Getting in trouble at school again will mean no phone for a week.
She avoided getting in trouble by telling the truth quickly.
phraseidiom
Running into difficulty, danger or a problem, for example while swimming, driving or running a business.
Grammar: No blame is needed here: The swimmer was getting in trouble far from shore.
Patterns
- getting in trouble with something
The boat started getting in trouble when the wind picked up.
The company is getting in trouble with its debts.
Hikers risk getting in trouble if the weather turns.
Common combinations
- getting in trouble with the law
- He kept getting in trouble with the law as a teenager.
- stay out of getting in trouble
- Stay focused and you can avoid getting in trouble.
- getting in trouble at school
- Getting in trouble at school upset her parents.
- afraid of getting in trouble
- I was afraid of getting in trouble for being late.
- always getting in trouble
- The puppy is always getting in trouble for chewing shoes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- getting into trouble
- Getting into trouble is the same idea and slightly more common in British English.
- being punished
- Being punished focuses on the penalty itself, while getting in trouble covers the risk and the situation before it.
- landing in hot water
- Landing in hot water is more colorful and informal and suggests a serious mess.
- getting told off
- Getting told off is British informal and only means being scolded, not being in wider difficulty.
Opposites
Word family
- trouble noun
- difficulty or problems
- troublemaker noun
- a person who causes problems
- troublesome adjective
- causing difficulty
- in trouble phrase
- facing blame or difficulty
Commonly confused: getting in trouble or trouble?
getting in trouble vs trouble
As a verb, trouble means to bother someone, so getting in trouble is not the same as troubling someone.
Practice
Complete the sentence: She told the truth to avoid ____ with her manager.
Choose one answer.
After the preposition to avoid you need the -ing form, so getting in trouble. A trouble and troubles are not used in this fixed phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “getting in trouble”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.