Meaning & use
got out of bed
Last updated
“got out of bed” is a form of “get out of bed”.
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
left your bed after sleeping or resting.
Grammar: Past tense form; the base form is 'get out of bed'. Use 'get' for present or habitual actions.
Patterns
- got out of bed
- get out of bed
- just got out of bed
She got out of bed at six and went for a run.
He got out of bed slowly because his back hurt.
I had just got out of bed when the phone rang.
phrasefixed phrasefigurative
started the day and began being active, often after a lazy or difficult start.
Grammar: Used in the past; often with 'finally' or 'early' to show attitude or time.
Patterns
- finally got out of bed
- got out of bed early
After weeks of feeling low, he finally got out of bed and made breakfast.
On Sundays she rarely got out of bed before noon.
Word forms
| base form | get out of bed |
|---|---|
| third person singular | gets out of bed |
| past tense | got out of bed |
| past participle | gotten out of bed |
| -ing form | getting out of bed |
Common combinations
- just got out of bed
- Sorry, I've just got out of bed and my voice sounds rough.
- got out of bed early
- We got out of bed early to catch the train.
- got out of bed on the wrong side
- He's in a bad mood; he must have got out of bed on the wrong side.
- slowly got out of bed
- She slowly got out of bed and opened the curtains.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rose
- More formal or literary; 'rose from bed' is less common in everyday speech.
- woke up
- Means you stopped sleeping, but you may still be in bed.
- got up
- Similar, but it can also mean standing up from a chair, not only leaving bed.
Opposites
Word family
- get up phrasal verb
- To rise from bed or from a sitting position.
- bedtime noun
- The time when you go to bed.
Commonly confused: got out of bed or got up? got out of bed or woke up?
got out of bed vs got up
'Got up' can mean left your bed or stood up from a seat; 'got out of bed' only means leaving the bed.
got out of bed vs woke up
'Woke up' means you stopped sleeping; you might still be lying in bed.
Practice
He ______ out of bed late and missed the bus.
Choose one answer.
The sentence describes a finished past event, so the past tense 'got' is correct. 'Gotten' is a past participle and needs 'has' or 'had' before it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “got out of bed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.