Roger Manvell
Did you know?
If you have difficulty choosing whether to use obtain or attain in a sentence, don’t worry, we get it. Both can mean “to get” or “to acquire,” and in some situations can be used synonymously, but one or the other might be more appropriate depending on what is being acquired and how. One clue is their respective etymologies: obtain comes to us via Anglo-French from the Latin verb obtinēre, meaning “to hold on to, possess,” while attain’s Anglo-French ancestor is ateindre, meaning “to reach” or “to accomplish.” Accordingly, obtain is usually the word used when you are acquiring, by planned effort, a tangible object—something you can hold. “We are having trouble obtaining the supplies we need” sounds natural, for example, while “Have you attained the sugar and flour I asked for?” does not. Reflecting its roots (and also implying effort), attain is often used in the same way as achieve, as in “After decades of hard work she attained her goal of earning a PhD.” Of course, one can also obtain intangible things, such as power or information, so consider this advice something to hold onto and consider when the moment arises—you needn’t cling to it.
Examples of obtain in a Sentence
Rick Jervis, USA Today, 18 May 2025
The lengthy investigation led to investigators obtaining a warrant for Christian’s arrest which was signed by a judge on Wednesday.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025
In the hopes of obtaining clarity for what type of bidding an auction might generate, Russin summoned Silver CEO Steven Rossum to the witness stand.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2025
After obtaining an arrest warrant, Hillman was cuffed on Thursday near Biscayne Park on one count of first-degree murder.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for obtain
Cite this Entry
“Obtain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obtain. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obtain
verb
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