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 Following an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, investigators obtained a felony warrant for Lopez Nunez’s arrest. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026 Part of the system integrates with third-party cameras, meaning while the Flock-specific cameras may only log vehicle data, opponents allege other identifying factors of people could be obtained by third-party collaborators. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 8 July 2026 King Street Productions paid Fort Worth ISD $33,100 for access to the property across eight days, according to rental agreement obtained by the Star-Telegram through a public information request. — Brayden Garcia july 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 Eventually, the stepfather was arrested after cops obtained a warrant to seize his devices. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026 This list was compiled using shareholding and financial information obtained from the families and individuals as well as stock exchanges, regulatory agencies and other sources. — Phisanu Phromchanya, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Records obtained by The Charlotte Observer show the police investigation stemmed from a May 23 incident at a south Charlotte barbershop involving a 15-year-old boy. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026 Harry and the six other high-profile claimants failed to prove their allegations that the publisher unlawfully obtained private information through methods including private investigators, deception, phone hacking and corrupt payments. — Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026 Sam O’Hara will receive $50,000 after alleging he was unlawfully detained and subjected to excessive force, according to a Thursday court filing obtained by The Associated Press (AP). — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtained

Verb

Two seasons later, Dryer earned his one and only Pro Bowl nod.

— Jim Reineking, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Will Richard does all of the little things With the regular Warriors squad, Will Richard earned his minutes by doing all of the unglamorous things on the court.

— Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 July 2026

Definition of earned

Verb

The country, once split between British and French colonization, gained independence in 1960.

— Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
The proposal appears to be another long shot attempt by the prolific petitioner, who has so far unsuccessfully gained traction for his dreams to revamp city transportation methods.

— Dylan Lysen July 6, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026

Definition of gained

Verb

Vibes were good among volunteers and visitors from around the world and every corner of the United States — and among stadium staffers, who won raises in a late-breaking contract agreement that resulted in increases to more than $30 per hour.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Within the span of a month, New York City has won a historic NBA Championship, hosted the wedding of the era for Taylor Swift, and now rap titan Jay-Z will deliver three massive shows in his hometown.

— Caché McClay, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of won

Verb

Since 2013, Chevron has consistently charged the highest gas prices in the state and reaped the biggest profit margins.

— Jerry McNerney, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
So many of those parcels had been seized, stolen, or abandoned, or else were ticking away into the high season, cash millions worth of cannabis sown and soon to be reaped.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026

Definition of reaped

Verb

Why LLMs struggle with spreadsheets Part of why structured data has garnered less attention is a very human bias, argues Boris van Breugel, a senior AI researcher based in Amsterdam.

— Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 9 July 2026
The 10-mile Underline project, which garnered extensive public and political support, has been managed by the county public works and transportation department at a construction cost nearing $150 million.

— Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

Definition of garnered

Verb

The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways said teams were working to repair the damage and restore the route, and that other arrangements are being made to transport passengers to Mashhad via road, IRIB said.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Talks with Occhiuto were cordial, but Hammer made clear that alternative sources of international staff would be highly appreciated.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026

Definition of made

Verb

The sun attained solar maximum in 2024, releasing intense flares and coronal mass ejections that caused Earth’s atmosphere to expand, which only intensified the drag on Swift, according to NASA.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Well before Diana attained princess status, Althorp was a favorite retreat of royals and a variety of politicians from around the world.

— Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 July 2026

Definition of attained

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obtainable

obtained

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“Obtained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obtained. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of obtained

verb

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