OBTAINED Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

obtained

verb

past tense of obtain

as in earned

to receive as return for effort after years of proving herself, she obtained recognition as a serious journalist

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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 obtained Prosecutors say that a company secretly controlled by Pulido obtained a 2016 government contract to supply 10 million food boxes at $34 each, generating approximately $340 million in revenue. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 In a 2023 memorandum obtained by Fox News Digital, Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield, who was then serving as the city council president, said residents complained about rodent infestations during a community meeting. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Video footage, which the Bee obtained from the attorney who filed a lawsuit on behalf of Saetern’s family, was not released to the public. — Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 Tasca tells Robb Report that the original developmental vines were obtained through a nursery that sold them only for trial purposes, but then the experiment became part of a larger initiative. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026 Footage obtained exclusively by CNN and testimony from those who were on the mountain paint a more detailed picture than before of Morup, the man who died serving his country and is now the goal of one of mountaineering’s grimmest challenges. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026 The death certificate obtained by US indicates the 87-year-old Mackie had suffered a fall and sustained an injury on September 11 at the home of his longtime design director Joseph McFate. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026 ProPublica later obtained video of an agent doing exactly that. — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026 In video obtained by KTLA-TV, an SUV can be seen traveling along the highway before smashing into another car. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtained

Verb

Luca Guadagnino‘s tech tale, which follows the five-day period in 2023 when Altman was fired and then rehired, earned rave reviews after its world premiere at New York Film Festival last week.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
But the respect the band had earned from the country firmament felt, at best, grudging.

— Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of earned

Verb

The reactionary spirit of mobsters was particularly useful to the authorities when left-wing politics gained steam in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
First Solar — Shares gained 2% after Truist upgraded the solar name to buy from hold.

— Darla Mercado, CFP®,Paulina Likos, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of gained

Verb

Ploughshare tortoises, which exist in the wild only in Madagascar, had once reaped six figures on the black market.

— Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
The duo’s Be Free Tour builds on their career-long, high-energy, pop/classical mashup, which has reaped five albums, two Grammy nominations and a regular slate of 200 shows a year, including performances for over 100,000 students.

— Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of reaped

Verb

But remarks made last week by Bruce Brown, an eight-year NBA veteran fighting for a roster spot with the New York Knicks, garnered enough attention online that the league piped up.

— Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Hughes garnered a reputation as a coach that impacted the lives of his players on and off the field.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of garnered

Verb

Since its founding, Storyteller has made flexible vans with outdoor accoutrements front of mind, building out versatile multi-use spaces for strapping in large cargo during the ride before rearranging into a bedroom/workshop once there.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
After stepping into a bigger role with most of the Heat’s rotation regulars out and impressing in Saturday night’s preseason loss to the Timberwolves, Conwell again made some positive plays on Wednesday.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of made

Verb

While the telephone and television took decades to reach 100 million users, ChatGPT and TikTok attained that threshold in a matter of months.

— Raghupathy Sivakumar, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
That show, launched in 2020, attained a cult following — it was named Best Podcasts of the Year by outlets like Vogue, Esquire and Cosmopolitan.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of attained

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obtained

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“Obtained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obtained. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of obtained

verb

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