acquire

[ uh-kwahyuhr ]

/ əˈkwaɪər /

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See synonyms for: acquire / acquired / acquiring / acquirable on Thesaurus.com

Definition of acquire

verb (used with object), ac·quired, ac·quir·ing.

to come into possession or ownership of; get as one's own: to acquire property.

to gain for oneself through one's actions or efforts: to acquire learning.

Linguistics. to achieve native or nativelike command of (a language or a linguistic rule or element).

Military. to locate and track (a moving target) with a detector, as radar.

OTHER WORDS FOR acquire

2 win, earn, attain; appropriate.

See synonyms for acquire on Thesaurus.com

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IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

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Origin of acquire

1400–50; from Latin acquīrere “to add to one's possessions, acquire” (ac- ac- + -quīrere, combining form of quaerere “to search for, obtain”); replacing late Middle English aquere from Middle French aquerre from Latin

synonym study for acquire

1. See get.

OTHER WORDS FROM acquire

ac·quir·a·ble, adjectiveac·quir·a·bil·i·ty, nounac·quir·er, nounpre·ac·quire, verb, pre·ac·quired, pre·ac·quir·ing.

re·ac·quire, verb (used with object), re·ac·quired, re·ac·quir·ing.self-ac·quired, adjectiveun·ac·quir·a·ble, adjectiveun·ac·quired, adjectivewell-ac·quired, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use acquire in a sentence

The Wizards acquired Michigan State’s four-year point guard Wednesday in a draft-night deal that sent the rights to Washington’s No.
Wizards’ plan for John Wall involves fewer minutes, more run for Ish Smith, Cassius Winston|Ava Wallace|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Vox Media kicked off the merger wave in September 2019 when it announced plans to acquire New York Media, publisher of New York magazine.
Ezra Klein leaves Vox, the website he founded, for New York Times, in a digital media A-list exodus|Paul Farhi, Sarah Ellison|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
He will also continue in his role as a part-owner of TSM, after increasing the stake he acquired as part of a groundbreaking two-year contract he signed in 2019.
The enduring and ongoing legacy of Bjergsen|Noah Smith|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Matthew Clark, Hogan’s chief of staff at the time, said he would contact some of the labs, but made clear that acquiring test kits was not his first concern.
Hogan’s first batch of coronavirus tests from South Korea were flawed, never used|Steve Thompson|November 20, 2020|Washington Post

With his newfound free time, the father of two vowed to acquire an untapped skill every week.
It started as a macho bake-off between dads. Months later, they’ve delivered 15,000 cookies to essential workers.|Sydney Page|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
She began operating out of her home garage in 1980, slowly acquiring the many props and tools that would decorate her dungeon.
Whip It: Secrets of a Dominatrix|Justin Jones|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The last federal position he held was Inmate--he served more than eight years for his inventive approach to acquiring money.
Election Day In The Big Sleazy|Jeff Greenfield|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You spend three or more hours per day reading about, acquiring or preparing certain kinds of food you believe to be “pure.”
Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Becomes an Obsession|DailyBurn|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Juan Carlos has always been slightly obsessed by acquiring money,” says one member of Madrid society.
Will Scandal Sink the Spanish Royal Family?|Tom Sykes|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Acquiring the first license and making the first sale Tuesday morning is crucial on several levels, he says.
The Race to Become Washington State’s First (Legal) Weed Salesman|Abby Haglage|July 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He is already in easy circumstances, and is in a fair way of soon acquiring a brilliant fortune.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
All of it was worthless—except to a man of vision—so, treading lightly, Scattergood went about acquiring what he needed.
Scattergood Baines|Clarence Budington Kelland
He was rapidly acquiring distinction in science, and his loss was much regretted.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
One of the first immediate tasks to be done was the training of soldiers in Virginia and the acquiring of cannon and fire-arms.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
Only some persons are naturally disposed to be polite, as others are in acquiring great talents and solid virtue.
The 'Characters' of Jean de La Bruyre|Jean de La Bruyre

British Dictionary definitions for acquire

acquire

/ (əˈkwaɪə) /

verb

(tr) to get or gain (something, such as an object, trait, or ability), esp more or less permanently

Derived forms of acquire

acquirable, adjectiveacquirement, nounacquirer, noun

Word Origin for acquire

C15: via Old French from Latin acquīrere, from ad- in addition + quaerere to get, seek

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

acquire

Definition of acquire

OTHER WORDS FOR acquire

Origin of acquire

synonym study for acquire

OTHER WORDS FROM acquire

Words related to acquire

How to use acquire in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for acquire

Derived forms of acquire

Word Origin for acquire