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

Related Words

See get.

Other Word Forms

obtainability noun
obtainable adjective
obtainer noun
obtainment noun
preobtain verb (used with object)
preobtainable adjective
reobtain verb (used with object)
reobtainable adjective
unobtainable adjective
unobtained adjective

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”

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.

Figures obtained by the BBC show more than 57 million doses of unauthorised medication have been confiscated in the UK by government agencies in the last five years.

From BBC

These models are now also being built into news sites, social media platforms and search services, making them the primary gateway to obtain information.

From Salon

Rials needed to obtain 1 dollar on the black market*

From Barron's

He also pointed to the lack of a system for obtaining consent prior to the procedure being carried out.

From BBC

In the petition, which was obtained by People and initially filed on Nov. 28, Cortazzo claimed that her ex has failed to fulfill “monetary obligations” that were included in the divorce settlement.

From MarketWatch

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