obtain

verb

əb-ˈtān How to pronounce obtain (audio)
Definition of obtainnext
as in to earn
to receive as return for effort after years of proving herself, she obtained recognition as a serious journalist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 obtain Notes on the investigation obtained by the Courant show witnesses who were interviewed said Plessy Cloud spoke only in a respectful tone and that no voices were raised, nor were any profanities heard. — Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 Court documents previously obtained by Fox News Digital said the investigation began after Deutsch sought permission to take the girl to visit a friend in Texas. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 The subpoena sought hard drives, videos, forensic images, and other records related to the review by Cyber Ninjas, according to a copy obtained by Votebeat. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026 Using this information, law enforcement can obtain a person’s name, address and other details from other databases. — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obtain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtain
  1. earn
  2. gain
  3. win
  4. reap
  5. garner
  6. get
  7. make
  8. attain
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
  • 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
  • Tavares, 11 days shy of his 36th birthday, hopes to reap some benefits from the living arrangement, too.
    — Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In today’s music industry, when artists aren’t reaping the full benefits of the recording economy because of streaming platforms, the live experience is as vital as ever.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of reap
Verb
  • Turek is garnering 46% of the vote to Hinson’s 42%, while Libertarian candidate Thomas Laehn is getting 6%, and 6% of voters are undecided, according to the survey from Global Strategy Group conducted for Turek’s campaign.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Over the next few years in Indianapolis (2018-2022) and with the Arizona Cardinals (2023-2024), Adams’ rushing offenses finished outside the top 11 only once and garnered three top-five finishes.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of garner
Verb
  • Turek is garnering 46% of the vote to Hinson’s 42%, while Libertarian candidate Thomas Laehn is getting 6%, and 6% of voters are undecided, according to the survey from Global Strategy Group conducted for Turek’s campaign.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • However, when the UK is involved, things get more complicated.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • Singapore pays its political leaders high salaries to attract talent and deter graft, but the issue is thorny in the city-state, where the median wage worker made S$5,775 ($736) a month in 2025.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Washington has recently toyed with price controls on credit cards through interest-rate caps and restrictions on late fees, as if credit can be made cheaper by government order.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of make
Verb
  • Her Mexican mother was naturalized thanks to the 1986 amnesty, but her first husband struggled for years to attain legal status.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In this new culture, freedom was attained not through engagement in political struggle but through individual consumer choices.
    — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of attain

Browse Nearby Words

obstructs
obtain
obtainability
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Cite this Entry

“Obtain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obtain. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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