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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 obtaining The legislation followed growing complaints that brokers were obtaining reservations at Los Angeles municipal courses and reselling them, often advertising slots through social media, including the Korean messaging app KakaoTalk. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors say Rivera and his former wife transferred their interest to his sister without obtaining that permission. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 The only way that can be answered is by going and obtaining more samples. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 Sep. 2026 For the first, obtaining a visa may simply be an inconvenience that can be incorporated into the calendar. — Jean Francois Harvey, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026 This is a nonfiction book, a collection of tips about obtaining and exercising power drawn from the counsel of Machiavelli, The Art of War, etc. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 22 Sep. 2026 The developer has already completed several steps needed before construction can begin, including submitting improvement plans, obtaining state and federal permits and receiving approval for grading work. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026 The files show that the informant continued reporting to his intelligence handler while allegedly failing to disclose the full extent of his own involvement in obtaining ammunition for the group. — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Local independent garden centers are most likely obtaining some of these varieties or can locate them for you. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtaining

Verb

Stallone also found work as an usher at a movie theater, earning just $34 a week.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
While De Luca and Abdy had a great run at the box office last year, this year has been littered with myriad misfires including The Bride, The End of Oak Street with no movie earning more than $100M stateside.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of earning

Verb

After a weekend of alarming headlines about AI mishaps, public sector breaches, and agents gaining unauthorized access to outside systems, tech and AI CEOs are descending on Washington yet again this week.

— Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 28 Sep. 2026
For front doors, these colors have a historically charming appeal that designers see gaining traction.

— The Spruce, The Spruce, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of gaining

Verb

Whilst Black was first a BBC Three pilot and then greenlit to full series, becoming one of the BBC’s most critically-rated of recent years and winning BAFTAs.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
Dozens of people applied for a NO SMOG plate, and Reagan had to pluck the winning application out of a hat.

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of winning

Verb

Victim of its own success However, the fact that demand for Novo’s products—and production—abroad is so massive means that its domestic economy isn’t reaping all the benefits.

— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
The tech sector of the S&P 500 has seen its forward price/earnings multiple contract from 29 to 21 in the past year with the market unwilling to extrapolate the profit surge in the absence of a clear path back to reaping oodles of free cash flow.

— Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of reaping

Verb

Along with return airport transfers, VIP airport assistance, 30-minute photo sessions, daily wellness activities, Balinese house visits, private melukat purification ceremonies, and jamu-making classes are all complimentary.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026
In turn, an interpretation may report that no concerning variant was found without making clear that the relevant gene was not fully examined.

— Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of making

Verb

After community outreach and a survey garnering more than 2,600 responses, city staff and a subcommittee composed of four city council members selected Union Plaza as its top recommendation to rename the park.

— Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Since then, OpenAI has reported other incidents of agents acting without authorization from humans, garnering concerns from AI safety advocates.

— Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of garnering

Verb

But when her character — saucy British writer Constance Clavinger — turns out to be a handful (getting drunk at the airport bar, for starters), Homer struggles to get her to the school on time.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
As a girl growing up in the 1970s, Griffin recalls how her parents and other neighbors in the two-street patch of homes did not let their children play at the nearby Fannie Robinson Park after some of them started developing rashes or getting sick.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of getting

Verb

This older world is often focused on common American ideals of individualism and grit as the primary tools for attaining personal success.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
In other words, what happens when their agreeable or polite approach to attaining something doesn’t work?

— Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 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 4 Oct. 2026.

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