Synonyms

obtain

American

[uhb-teyn] / əbˈteɪn /

verb (used with object)

to come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through an effort or by a request.

to obtain permission;
to obtain a better income.

Synonyms:

attain, win, earn, achieve, gain

Antonyms:

forgo, lose
Obsolete. to attain or reach.

verb (used without object)

to be prevalent, customary, or in vogue; prevail.

the morals that obtained in Rome.
Archaic. to succeed.

obtain British

/ əbˈteɪn /

verb

(tr) to gain possession of; acquire; get
(intr) to be customary, valid, or accepted

a new law obtains in this case
archaic (tr) to arrive at
archaic (intr) to win a victory; succeed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See get.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of obtain

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English obteinen, from Middle French obtenir, from Latin obtinēre “to take hold of,” equivalent to ob- ob- ( def. ) + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre “to hold”

Explanation

Obtain means to get something that is not so easy to come by such as knowledge, rights, or a large amount of money. You wouldn't say you obtained a pair of pants, unless they were one of a kind. At times in its history, obtain has meant to be victorious or to succeed. Today, it mostly means to acquire, but keeping its prior meanings in mind helps you to use it in the right way. College degrees are something that you obtain as is permission from your parents to go to a party. When you obtain something, you have worked hard to get it, so you are pretty happy to have it.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

MI5 said Chinese agents have approached more than 20,000 people in the U.K. on LinkedIn to obtain sensitive information.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

He went on to obtain a law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 2003.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Should the drug obtain approval, it could be available in clinics within months.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

“It’s really meant to be used as a tool to get intelligence and obtain evidence,” Vanda Brown of the Brookings Institution said of the program.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

Without a liquid market, they were not assured of being able to sell them when they wanted to, or to obtain a fair price.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023