acquired 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of acquirednext
1
as in adscititious

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in nonhereditary

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Dissimilar Words

acquired

2 of 2

verb

past tense of acquire
1
as in developed
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in earned
to receive as return for effort acquired a reputation for always arriving at his friends' house just as they were sitting down to dinner

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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 acquired
Adjective
Transferring to Paramount+ will be all content currently on BET+ – original and acquired – subject to rights restrictions and license expirations. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
Skubal also issued two walks and hit a batter with a pitch in just his second career appearance at Dodger Stadium, taking the mound nine days after the defending champions acquired him from Detroit in the biggest trade of the deadline. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 The 25-year-old, who was acquired from the Mariners in the offseason as part of a three-team deal that also included the Cardinals, played exclusively at third with the M’s last season as a rookie. — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The company acquired Synovus Financial, and the banks have yet to merge their branding. — Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Keanu Reeves, Oscar nominee Kirsten Dunst, Daniel Brühl, Nicholas Braun and two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton headline a sprawling cast shot around a real Boeing 747 the director acquired for the production. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 Background and production The character of Ted Lasso first appeared in a 2013 NBC Sports promotional video after the network had acquired broadcast rights to air EPL soccer games. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026 When Elliot Advisors acquired the company for $683 million in 2019, the retailer was struggling with years of declining sales, store closures, and stiff competition from Amazon and other online sellers. — Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 Tarik Skubal takes the mound Tuesday night for his first start with the NL West leaders since the ace left-hander was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Tigers. — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026 Five-time Pro Bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick, whom the Jets acquired in an offseason trade with the Dolphins, intercepted Smith’s first pass during 11-on-11 drills during Monday’s practice. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquired
  1. incidental
  2. nonhereditary
  3. developed
  4. earned
  5. surface
  6. cultivated
  7. gained
  8. accidental
Adjective
  • Nestled between Europe and Asia, Georgia boasts a wealth of ancient history that melds with the most stunning landscapes, and an abundance of friendly welcomes that are not just incidental but a way of life.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • According to Genett, the proper interpretation of a work can’t ignore this seemingly incidental material, which is crucial to a book as a book.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of incidental
Adjective
  • Other research shows that nonhereditary forms can result from other factors, including existing medical conditions and diet, reports Maya Yang of the Guardian.
    — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2021
  • Evan, who turns 2 in December, was born with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare, nonhereditary genetic disorder that has a most cruel and unusual symptom — chronic hunger.
    — Maureen C. Gilmer, Indianapolis Star, 14 Sep. 2017
Definition of nonhereditary
Verb
  • Over the following months, Harrison developed pneumonia and gut failure and also suffered a stroke.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Even before the war, the country had already developed a large legal profession, sophisticated corporate firms, and distinctive constitutional institutions, although European legal systems retained greater intellectual prestige.
    — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of developed
Verb
  • Substitute Prisca Chilufya took a pass from substitute Evelyn Shores and scored the equalizer in the 72nd minute as Angel City FC earned a point in the standings with a 2-2 tie with the Reign late Sunday night at Lumen Field in Seattle.
    — News Service Reports, Oc Register, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Olay’s Micro-Sculpting Serum earned the Gellar stamp of approval thanks to its impressive ingredient lineup.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of earned
Adjective
  • Yet, the current market set-up, in which a hyper-concentrated S & P 500 regularly goes the opposite direction of a majority of its components, an understanding of sub-surface influences has become almost a necessity.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Seahawk missions include anti-surface warfare, combat support, humanitarian disaster relief, and combat search and rescue, according to Naval Air Systems Command.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of surface
Verb
  • With the help of team psychologist Dr Pippa Grange, England cultivated a team ethos in a manner that was incongruous to generations before them — and felt somewhat jarring, based on English societal norms.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The firms that will thrive are the ones that treat their workforce as a portfolio of skills to be cultivated and thoughtfully deployed alongside AI.
    — Ravin Jesuthasan, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Verb
  • Shares have jumped 48% year to date and gained 2% in the premarket.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In July, OpenAI disclosed that an autonomous AI agent escaped the boundaries of a cybersecurity evaluation and ultimately gained unauthorized access to Hugging Face's production infrastructure.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of gained
Adjective
  • Driscoll and others involved in the mission worried that something far less dramatic could derail it, such as an accidental weapon discharge, an isolated confrontation with a protester or a guardsman caught on camera behaving poorly.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In these spaces, the risk of accidental contact with poison ivy is much higher.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of accidental

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Cite this Entry

“Acquired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquired. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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