OBTAINING Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

obtaining

verb

present participle of obtain

as in earning

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 obtaining Newell accused the Record of illegally obtaining and leaking information about a drunken-driving incident, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Performing work requiring a permit without obtaining one could be a misdemeanor. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The justices held that obtaining location data constituted a Fourth Amendment search. — Nicole M. Bennett, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026 Large numbers of Americans continued obtaining the peptides online from gray-market and overseas sources. — Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Such a lease, however, would disqualify a hospice from obtaining a license, and a provider would need to intentionally deceive inspectors to disguise a day office, experts said. — Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 The alleged texts between the boys, who attended Switzerland Point Middle School, contained information about building a shotgun and musket, as well as obtaining zip ties, per the arrest report. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026 SpaceXAI has been sued for using natural gas-burning turbines to power its facilities in Memphis without first installing pollution controls and obtaining federal permits. — Ari Levy,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 My big project this summer has been obtaining guest parking permits for my new house. — Tom Dowling, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtaining

Verb

Based loosely on the life and death of rock star Janis Joplin, The Rose made a movie star of Midler, earning her an Oscar nomination as well as one for co-star Frederic Forrest.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
The revamp of Furness Hall will include 35 apartments for artists earning 60% to 80% of the area median income (AMI).

— News Desk, Artforum, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of earning

Verb

Grahek embraced the digital nomad lifestyle after leaving an intense career and gaining the freedom to work remotely.

— Maria Leonard Olsen, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026
Huckabee noted that this partnership played out in a variety of areas, including military cooperation, especially as both worked to stop the Iranian regime from gaining nuclear arms.

— Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of gaining

Verb

Teams earned points by winning weekly head-to-head battles – tugging a sled across the field the fastest, surviving a heated game of dodgeball – and by simply doing the right thing.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Pinch-hitter Max Muncy crushed a three-run shot in the sixth inning to become the top home run hitter in Dodger Stadium history, but Los Angeles’ three-game winning streak ended with another concerning bullpen meltdown.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of winning

Verb

Unsurprisingly, firms reaping profits from the AI boom steal the show.

— Naazneen Karmali, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
As the Wall Street Journal reports, British fossil fuel giant Shell is reaping enormous profits thanks to spiking oil prices triggered by the conflict in Iran.

— Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 30 July 2026

Definition of reaping

Verb

The Cubs have been relentless against lefties this season, and that pressure continued Wednesday with lefty Jackson Kent, a Lake Park graduate from Hanover Park, making his major-league debut for the Nationals.

— Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Her artistic work extends into visual illustration and fashion, with her tattoos and styling choices making her a distinctively individual presence in the group's lineup.

— Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of making

Verb

Tampa Bay used seven arms out of the bullpen, with Casey Legumina getting the start.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
So is controlling blood pressure, treating chronic conditions such as diabetes, avoiding smoking, limiting excessive alcohol use, getting enough sleep and maintaining a healthy weight.

— Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of getting

Verb

Financial firms are now gearing up to jump into the market in a different way, as executives like Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and KKR's Waldemar Szlezak see AI equipment attaining familiar money-making characteristics.

— Kif Leswing, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
One way to think about Mahler’s extravagant 90-minute exercise in his search for life’s meaning is as an exercise in attaining optimism in the face of tragedy.

— Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of attaining

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obtained

obtaining

obtainment

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

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Synonyms of obtaining

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