to get (something desired), especially as a result of one's efforts: to gain permission to enter a country.
to gain possession of an object;
to gain permission to enter a country.
to acquire as an increase or addition.
to gain weight;
to gain speed.
to obtain as a profit.
He gained ten dollars by this deal.
to win; get in competition.
to gain the prize.
to win (someone) to one's own side or point of view; persuade (sometimes followed byover ).
to gain supporters.
(of a watch or clock) to run fast by (a specified amount).
My watch gains six minutes a day.
to reach, especially by effort; get to; arrive at.
to gain one's destination.
to improve; make progress; advance.
to gain in health after an illness.
to get nearer, as in pursuit (usually followed by on orupon ).
Our horse was gaining on the favorite at the far turn.
to draw away from or farther ahead of the other contestants in a race, one's pursuers, etc. (usually followed by on orupon ).
(of a watch or clock) to run fast.
profit or advantage.
an increase or advance.
gains, profits or winnings.
the act of gaining; acquisition.
Electronics.
a measure of the increase in signal amplitude produced by an amplifier, expressed as the ratio of output to input.
the effectiveness of a directional antenna as compared with a standard, nondirectional one.
the volume control of a radio, phonograph, amplifier, etc.
gain time, to arrange a postponement or delay for a particular purpose, especially by roundabout means.
gain ground, to progress or advance, as in value, strength, or achievement.
The company's new products are gaining ground in suburban areas.
a notch, dado, or mortise cut into a piece of wood, as to receive another piece or to house a flap of a hinge.
tusk.
a short rabbet, for receiving a flap of a butt hinge.
to make a gain or gains in.
to fasten or support by means of a gain.
(tr) to acquire (something desirable); obtain
(tr) to win in competition
to gain the victory
to increase, improve, or advance
the car gained speed
the shares gained in value
(tr) to earn (a wage, living, etc)
(intr; usually foll by on or upon)
to get nearer (to) or catch up (on)
to get farther away (from)
(tr) (esp of ships) to get to; reach
the steamer gained port
(of a timepiece) to operate too fast, so as to indicate a time ahead of the true time or to run fast by a specified amount
this watch gains
it gains ten minutes a day
to make progress or obtain an advantage
to obtain extra time by a delay or postponement
(of a timepiece) to operate too fast
something won, acquired, earned, etc; profit; advantage
an increase in size, amount, etc
the act of gaining; attainment; acquisition
Also called: amplification. electronics the ratio of the output signal of an amplifier to the input signal, usually measured in decibels
Gain, attain, earn, win imply obtaining a reward or something advantageous. Gain carries the least suggestion of method or of effort expended: After battling the blizzard, we finally gained our destination. Attain emphasizes the reaching of a goal: to attain stardom. Earn emphasizes the exertions and labor expended that deserve reward: to earn a promotion. Win emphasizes attainment in spite of competition or opposition: to win support in a campaign.
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English noun, from Middle French gain, contraction of Old French gaaing, noun derivative of ga(a)ignier “to till, earn, win,” from Germanic
First recorded in 1670–80; of unknown origin
A gain is an increase in something, especially something good. You gain knowledge by attending philosophy lectures and reading books. When you gain something, you acquire it or add to what you already have. You can gain friends by joining clubs, and you can gain weight by eating ice cream every day. Gain is also a noun, which you can use to talk about what you've gained, like the health gain you get from cutting back on that ice cream. The root of gain is the Old French gaaignier, "to earn, trade, or capture."
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Researchers suspected that α-synuclein might gain entry into healthy cells by attaching to proteins on the cell surface.
From Science Daily • Jul. 12, 2026
For example, most of the UPF diets provided in these studies have higher energy density—meaning more calories per bite of food—which is known to cause people to gain a bit of weight.
From Slate • Jul. 12, 2026
County fire departments were able to swiftly gain the upper hand, halting forward progress at 30 acres shortly before 4 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026
It's nothing new - John Aldridge, Mexico legend Hugo Sanchez and Pele all used the stutter to gain an advantage - but it can backfire spectacularly if the goalkeeper doesn't commit to diving early.
From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026
She turned a corner, letting her free hand trace along the walls to gain a sense of place.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
