ACQUIRE Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

acquire

verb

ə-ˈkwī(-ə)r

Definition of acquire

as in to develop

to come to have gradually from years of working two jobs, he has acquired the ability to get by on only a few hours of sleep a day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to earn

to receive as return for effort acquired a reputation for always arriving at his friends' house just as they were sitting down to dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of acquire The backstory Opened in 2016 as Atton Brickell, the property was acquired and rebranded by French hospitality giant Accor under its stylish Novotel umbrella. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026 The following year, it was acquired by the current owner, Ferrari collector Anthony Wang, who, at the time, was president of computer-software giant CA Technologies. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026 Walla reported the Israeli army would prefer no other Middle Eastern country to acquire the stealth fighter, while noting that Saudi Arabia would not receive its first aircraft for at least five years if the deal is signed soon. — September 18, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 While at Paramount, Beaubaire was the first to identify the potential in Michael Lewis’ book as a feature film, acquiring the rights for the studio after seeing a movie in material few considered inherently cinematic. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acquire

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquire

Verb

Scientists see a troubling trend but are still investigating how the disease develops.

— Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
The company is also accelerating deployment of its ArchIQ system, developed with Google, that improves order accuracy with artificial intelligence and automates tasks like inventory management and scheduling.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of develop

Verb

Henderson earned his second interception of the night on the final play.

— Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Buzz has completed a 99,767-kilometer (roughly 62,000 miles) journey through 92 countries and six continents, earning a Guinness World Record after spending 445 days on the road.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of earn

Verb

Insights gained from the pilot project will form the basis for a potential future application of these materials in series-production battery cells.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
After a first dose, people gain protective antibodies quickly and immunity levels peak within about two weeks.

— Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of gain

Verb

McGovern lost, Obama won—but Obama won the presidency without transforming the Democratic foreign-policy class.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
The Moroccan Constitution requires the king to appoint the head of government from the party that wins the most seats in legislative elections.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of win

Verb

Know More Democratic incumbents in tight races are hoping to reap electoral benefits from 2028 candidates who are coming through their districts.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
The tech sector of the S&P 500 has seen its forward price/earnings multiple contract from 29 to 21 in the past year with the market unwilling to extrapolate the profit surge in the absence of a clear path back to reaping oodles of free cash flow.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of reap

Verb

Experts say these numbers are likely an underestimate, particularly in rural areas that have struggled to obtain resources and vaccines.

— Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2026
Frimpong also ordered the government to thoroughly document the probable cause that leads to an arrest before a warrant could be obtained.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of obtain

Verb

Regarding the types of self-service devices currently in use, the research showed that self-checkout terminals remain the most widely adopted at 89 percent, while scan-and-go via smartphone apps garnered 77 percent.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
Fairlane has garnered a string of unflattering headlines in recent years, including for unpaid taxes and utility bills, unplowed snow in the parking lot and a 2024 Christmas tree inside the mall that wasn't take down until this year.

— JC Reindl, Freep.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of garner

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acquirable

acquire

acquired

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Style

“Acquire.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquire. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of acquire

verb

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