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 While there will be no more transfers until January, clubs can still bolster their squads or take a risk on a player with a high upside by acquiring a free agent. — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Business Development Must Focus On Retaining Knowledge The biggest thing for me is the ability to retain knowledge when the work of acquiring it is already done for you. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Since 2022, the museum has been acquiring works for its permanent collection in anticipation of the show, beginning with Patrick Martinez’s Promised Land (2022), followed soon after by works by Guadalupe Maravilla, Ilana Savdie, and Eamon Ore-Giron. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Johnson has hosted Inside the NBA since 1990 when TNT acquired broadcasting rights, with Barkley joining a decade later after the hall-of-famer retired from the league. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acquire

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquire

Verb

After being implanted beneath the skin of their backs, the tissues developed their own blood supply and began to contract spontaneously.

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
The company’s Lithium Ceramic Battery platform has been developed since 2012.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of develop

Verb

This is an exciting step forward for Eisenberg the director, who had a breakthrough a couple of years ago with the lovely A Real Pain, which earned co-star Kieran Culkin an Academy Award.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
This confidence is also hard to earn, due to a long Premier League season.

— Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of earn

Verb

Nvidia made the investments to enhance its growth opportunities, cultivate its ecosystem and strengthen its competitive position, the company said in its earnings.

— Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026
Another novel where the author explores how to cultivate the mind, body, home, and social circle in order to propagate creativity, and wonders what happens when any or all elements become fallow or diseased.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of cultivate

Verb

Aflac initially gained a bigger profile after introducing its duck mascot in 1999, in ads crafted by Kaplan Thaler Group, an independent agency that was eventually acquired by Publicis Groupe of France.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
For example, a South Florida cop trying to find a vehicle could search and find a person’s information from thousands of miles away in other states, a selling point that gained Flock dozens of law enforcement contracts, the Herald found.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of gain

Verb

The contestants will have to design a wedding dress that showcases their style, and the winning design will be produced and sold by David’s Bridal.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
In the final moments of the game, Chad scores the game-winning touchdown, but a penalty sets them back with just two seconds left on the clock.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of win

Verb

Opponents also rallied around the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises that come with full membership.

— Kwiyeon Ha, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Opponents rallied around fishing and the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises that inevitably come with full membership.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of reap

Verb

In the initial complaint obtained by USA TODAY, Said claimed she was placed on an all-male team that included Gutman and two other crew members.

— Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Only 15% had a criminal conviction, according to a Tribune analysis of federal data obtained by the research group Deportation Data Project.

— Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of obtain

Verb

Over the years, Allen has garnered praise from Inter Miami coaches for playing bigger than his size (5-9), for his versatility and coachability.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
After world premiering in 1990 in Cannes, where Depardieu won Best Actor, the film enjoyed a buzzy awards season garnering five nominations in the lead up to the 63rd Academy Awards, including for Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of acquire

verb

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