Crossword Genius

Becomes bloody disheartened, but copes (4,2)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

gets by

'copes' is the definition.
('get by' can be a synonym of 'cope')

'becomes bloody disheartened' is the wordplay.
'becomes' becomes 'gets' ('get' can be a synonym of 'become').
'disheartened' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters).
'bloody' with its middle removed is 'by'.
'gets'+'by'='GETS BY'

'but' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for gets by that I've seen before include "Manages" , "makes do" , "copes" , "Planet Herschel found" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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