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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
After 2022, this heroic depiction of Russia acquired a much more openly militaristic tenor. — Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026 The Clippers acquired Gallinari, then 28, from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team trade in the summer of 2017 and subsequently handed him a three-year, $65 million extension. — Mike Prada, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Apple acquired Beats for $3 billion in 2014 and has since used the brand to sell iPhone cases and USB-C cables alongside its range of independent audio products. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026 The Dodgers acquired Bubic from the Royals at the trade deadline this year. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Loktev is self-distributing the film theatrically (MUBI has acquired streaming rights to parts I and II and is currently streaming Part I). — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026 About 97% of those cases were travel-associated, and roughly 3% were locally acquired. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026 After years of uncertainty and a public campaign to save it in 2025, Ketchup Entertainment acquired worldwide rights to the film, giving it a path to be released to audiences everywhere. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquired
  1. incidental
  2. nonhereditary
  3. developed
  4. earned
  5. surface
  6. cultivated
  7. gained
  8. accidental
Adjective
  • The atmosphere isn’t incidental to the tournament’s identity.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and anxiety after viewing triggering content are not incidental side effects.
    — Jessica Scheer, STAT, 2 Sep. 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
  • Questions remain about how many people developed health problems linked to the dust.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The technology is also being developed with manufacturability in mind.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of developed
Verb
  • No one is questioning that Davion Mitchell has earned and is capable of holding a spot in the Heat’s rotation.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • After attending Bucharest’s Academy of Theatrical Arts and Cinematography, she was accepted into NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, then later earned a master’s degree from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of earned
Adjective
  • Massachusetts is equipped for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence gathering, surveillance, strike missions, special operations, and mine warfare.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Thanks to strong multi-surface suction, this upright vacuum can go right from the living room carpet to the kitchen without missing a beat (or a crumb).
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of surface
Verb
  • Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums are carefully cultivated and tended through summer to produce the tight, abundant domes of little flowers gardeners prize in autumn.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Meaning that the blue weber agave used in its production was cultivated from farms that actively restore soil health and improve local ecosystems rather than just sustaining them.
    — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Verb
  • Community members brought knowledge and experiences to the table that researchers could not have gained at a distance.
    — Caroline Montojo, STAT, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The 61-year-old—who owns 40% of his tech company—has gained around $122 billion since this time in 2025, nearly doubling his wealth to a whopping $262 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of gained
Adjective
  • For this reason, users are becoming more anxious about protecting their smartphones from accidental drops.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Brussels must recognize this strength and treat the durability of its institutional framework as a deliberate asset rather than an accidental feature.
    — JONAS NAHM, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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