Definition of gain
1 : resources or advantage acquired or increased : profit made substantial gains last year
2 : the act or process of acquiring something
3a : an increase in amount, magnitude, or degree a gain in efficiencyb : the increase (as of voltage or signal intensity) caused by an amplifier; especially : the ratio of output over inputc : the signal-gathering ability of an antenna
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Examples of gain in a Sentence
The medication can cause nausea and weight gain.
attributed her recent weight gain to the medication she was taking
Recent Examples of gain from the Web
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Even more speculative capital is then drawn in by the paper gains seemingly on offer.
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Another surprise: The gains were the same for children from low-income neighborhoods and those from more well-off schools.
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Critics suggested that North Korea had used it for financial gain without making real concessions in important areas like its nuclear program or human rights.
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For the past month or so, Snap’s stock price has trended ever downward, slumping back to around $17, wiping out any gains since its I.P.O. in March.
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In his analysis, Joseph Pilewski noted that the village's estimate of a net gain of $2.7 million from the project might be conservative, and could actually be closer to $6.8 million.
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Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.4 percent to 5,763.30, paring back gains made Tuesday ahead of the central bank’s decision to stand pat on interest rates.
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Democrats wanted a new tax on capital gains, or overhauls of the state business-and-occupation and real-estate excise taxes.
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Absent that gain, GDP would have grown by just 0.2%.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
gain
Definition of gain
transitive verb
1a : to acquire or get possession of usually by industry, merit, or craft gain an advantage he stood to gain a fortuneb : to win in competition or conflict the troops gained enemy territoryc (1) : to arrive at : reach, attain gained the river that night (2) : traverse, cover gained 10 yards on the playd : to get by a natural development or process gain strengthe : to establish a specific relationship with gain a friend
2a : to make an increase of (a specified amount) gained three percent in the past monthb : to increase in (a particular quality) gain momentum
3 : to win to one's side : persuade gain adherents to a cause
4 : to cause to be obtained or given : attract gain attention
5 of a timepiece : to run fast by the amount of the clock gains a minute a day
intransitive verb
1 : to get advantage : profit hoped to gain by the deal
2a : increase the day was gaining in warmthb : to increase in weightc : to improve in health or ability
3 of a timepiece : to run fast
gainer
noungain ground
Examples of gain in a Sentence
They stand to gain an advantage over their competitors by getting an early start.
What do you hope to gain from this?
gain control of the territory
Investigators are trying to gain access to the group's financial records.
We were unable to gain admission to the club.
We need to gain a better understanding of the problem.
They had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
He first gained attention as a young writer.
Her theories are slowly gaining acceptance.
I took the job to gain experience.
Recent Examples of gain from the Web
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For one, the recent launch of a satellite owned by Inmarsat, the U.K. firm that gained fame during the search for MH370, will supplement its existing Global Xpress network of three satellites circling the Earth.
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The test, as well as demonstrating greater range, could have been designed to gain additional knowledge of the engineering requirements of warhead-carrying re-entry vehicles by flying for longer and at higher altitude.
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Gaining access to the secret room at Ponsaty’s doesn’t require a password, but diners who book the room must spend a minimum of $500 to reserve the space.
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Limited access to the Pride reaction might also allow Facebook to gain PR benefits from supporting gay rights in some U.S. cities while avoiding scandal elsewhere.
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Louisville's Joan Shelley continues to gain national prominence.
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Kannon had gained less than one pound since his birth on March 31, 2016, records said.
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ESPN is gaining a great young talent in Emily, who will bring some fresh ideas and energy to the coverage of the NHL, which is her first love.
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Janssen is currently in late-stage Phase III trials of a ketamine clone that is widely expected to gain FDA approval sometime next year.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of gain
Middle English gaynen “to prevail against,” borrowed from Anglo-French gaainer, gaaigner “to cultivate, till, secure (profit, advantage), capture, acquire, be victorious,” going back to Old Low Franconian *waiđanjan, of uncertain meaning and origin ◆The presumed Old Low Franconian verb *waiđanjan has no exact counterpart in neighboring Germanic languages, and given the diverse meanings of the French verb, hypotheses that explain it are all somewhat tenuous. The base has traditionally been taken to be that of Old High German weida “pasture,” Old Saxon weiđa, from which a verb meaning “to pasture” was derived, which then hypothetically developed the sense “to cultivate, till” and further derived senses. Alternatively, the verb could be linked to Old High German weidenōn “to hunt,” a derivative of weida “hunt, quantity of game taken, catch” (corresponding to Old English wāth “hunt, chase, wandering,” Old Norse veiðr “catch, haul of fish”). In Middle English both the noun and verb are presumed to have crossed with borrowings of Old Norse gagn “advantage, victory.” Early Modern English gain has acquired senses directly from Middle French and French gagner.
Financial Definition of GAIN
gain
What It Is
A gain, also called a capital gain, is an increase in the value of an investment. It is the difference between the purchase price (the basis) and the sale price of an asset. Thus the formula for gain is:
Sale Price - Purchase Price = Gain
Note that this formula assumes the sale price is higher than the purchase price. If an investor sells an asset for less than he or she paid, this is called a loss.
How It Works
Let's assume you purchase 100 shares of Company XYZ for $1 per share. After three months, the share price increases to $5. This means the value of the investment has increased from $100 to $500, for a gain of $400.
Why It Matters
Gains are taxable, but only when they are realized. That is, they only become taxable when the asset is sold. Until that point, any gains are considered unrealized and are not taxable. The IRS considers nearly every asset owned by individuals and companies as capital assets and thus subject to capital gains taxes.
Taxpayers report capital gains on IRS Schedule D, but these gains are subject to different tax rates depending on whether they are short-term or long-term (and in some cases depending on the type of asset). In the example above, if you sold the Company XYZ shares after a year, the IRS would consider your $400 profit a long-term capital gain and tax it at one of several flat rates. However, if you sold the Company XYZ shares after just three months, the IRS would consider your $400 profit a short-term capital gain and tax that $400 at your ordinary income tax rate, which varies by several factors, including which state you live in, and is generally higher than the long-term capital gains tax rate. This system encourages long-term investing, but there are still many logical reasons an investor might want to sell an asset before a year has passed.
Some retirement vehicles, such as 401(k)s and IRAs, allow investors to buy and sell assets within these vehicles without becoming subject to capital gains tax. This tax deferral effectively gives investors a larger balance on which to compound interest or returns, with capital gains tax applying only when the investor begins to make withdrawals.
An investor's capital losses sometimes will offset all or a portion of his or her capital gains, lowering the investor's tax bill. There is a limit, however, to how much the investor can offset. Note also that the IRS does not treat the distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, like those from a mutual fund, for example, as capital gains. The IRS treats those as ordinary dividends.
GAIN Defined for English Language Learners
gain
playDefinition of gain for English Language Learners
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: something wanted or valued that is gotten : something that is gained; especially : money gotten through some activity or process
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: something that is helpful : advantage or benefit
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: an increase in amount, size, or number
gain
Definition of gain for English Language Learners
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: to get (something wanted or valued)
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: to win (something) in a competition, battle, etc.
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: to gradually get (something) or more of (something) as time passes
GAIN Defined for Kids
Definition of gain for Students
gained
;gaining
1 : to get or win often by effort You gain knowledge by study. He exercised to gain strength.
2 : to get or acquire in a natural or gradual way He gained ten pounds.
3 : to increase in The car gained speed.
4 : to get to : reach The swimmer gained the shore.
5 : to get an advantage : profit We all gained from the lesson.
Medical Dictionary
gain
playMedical Definition of gain
: to improve in health the patient gained daily
Law Dictionary
gain
Legal Definition of gain
1 : an increase in value, capital, or amount — compare loss capital gain : a gain realized on the sale or exchange of a capital asset (as a stock or real estate) casualty gain : a gain realized by an insured because property insurance benefits paid for a loss from a casualty or theft are greater than the adjusted value of the insured asset long–term capital gain : a capital gain realized on the sale or exchange of an asset held for more than a specified period (as a year) ordinary gain : a gain from the exchange or sale of an asset that is not capital short–term capital gain : a capital gain realized on the sale or exchange of an asset held for less than a specified period (as a year) that is treated as ordinary income under federal income tax laws
2 pl in the civil law of Louisiana : a class of community property that reflects the increase in property value contributed by the common skill or labor of the spouses
gain
verbLearn More about gain
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See words that rhyme with gain Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gain Spanish Central: Translation of gain Nglish: Translation of gain for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gain for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gain
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