procure
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to obtain or acquire; secure
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to obtain (women or girls) to act as prostitutes
Usage
What does procure mean? To procure something is to obtain or get it, especially through special means or extra effort. The word is especially used in the context of the formal, official process of purchasing and obtaining materials, supplies, or equipment, particularly in the context of business or government. The noun form procurement most commonly refers to this process. Many large companies and government agencies have a procurement department that handles the ordering and acquisition of supplies. Such a department is often simply referred to as procurement, as in You’ll have to ask procurement to order those materials. Procurement can also be used in a general way to refer to the act or process of procuring in any context. Example: It took me a few months to track it down, but I was able to procure that rare book for her birthday.
Synonym Usage
See get.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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procurancenoun
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procurementnoun
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procurableadjective
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self-procuredadjective
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self-procuringadjective
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unprocuredadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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procuresimple
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procuressimple
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have procuredperfect
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has procuredperfect
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am procuringprogressive
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are procuringprogressive
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is procuringprogressive
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have been procuringperfect progressive
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has been procuringperfect progressive
Past
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procuredsimple
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had procuredperfect
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was procuringprogressive
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were procuringprogressive
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had been procuringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of procure
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English procuren, from Latin prōcūrāre “to take care of”; see pro- 1, cure
Explanation
In prison movies, there's always a character who is able to procure all sorts of contraband from the inside — magazines, playing cards, special soap. If you procure something, you get it or bring it about by special effort. Procure's synonym obtain is a little formal, but less formal than procure itself. The noun procurement commonly refers to the obtaining of materials and supplies. Procure descends from Middle English procuren, from Old French procurer, "to take care of," from Latin prōcūrāre, formed from the prefix prō-, "for", plus cūrāre, "to care for."
Vocabulary lists containing procure
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Othello
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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.
See Examples For:
Its latest capacity auction came up short of the reserves it hoped to procure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In 1972, mysterious mafia members came into the restaurant to ask Tana to procure early-screening tickets for “The Godfather.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Later that month, the Defense Department announced a $9.7 billion blanket purchase agreement with Dell subsidiary Dell Federal Systems to “enable customers to procure Microsoft software licenses, cloud subscriptions and Software Assurance.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
A spokesperson for National Highways said it thanked Skanska for their "valuable contribution in progressing the project" and the next step for the body would be to procure the main construction works for the scheme.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Sometimes Madame Ruelle has managed to procure a few groceries for Marie-Laure: cabbage, red peppers, soap.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
The company’s IPO filing includes a lengthy warning that it procures nearly all of its necessary services and components on a purchase-order basis without long-term agreements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
In one biblical tale, Jesus procures a large catch of fish, and promises his disciples an abundance of followers when he commands them to be “fishers of men.”
From National Geographic ● Jul. 26, 2023
“Knights of the Zodiac,” a 2023 live-action reimagining of Masami Kurumada’s revered manga “Saint Seiya” and an anime series, procures plenty of recognizable elements from the original iterations.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2023
The government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which procures the vaccine, has requested 5.5 million doses for delivery this year and the next, the company said.
From Reuters ● Aug. 18, 2022
When Celia procures him a black-and-white-striped paper bag of popcorn, he insists he wants caramel as well, and will not eat it plain.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
It also lends the sandwich the air of something procured from a real cute deli, perhaps one with handwritten menu boards and expensive sparkling water.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
Before that, Pelinka hit another home run with Austin Reaves; a four-bagger so deep that Doncic’s undrafted backcourt-mate has now procured the proverbial bag.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
According to the military investigator, the suspects are alleged to have procured vehicles, including SUVs, for their operation.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
How items are sold, deals are closed, or inputs are procured.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
They said he had procured a wand of immense power.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
In the U.S., they have long been the cheapest and most common way of procuring green power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
California bans non-attorneys from directly soliciting or procuring clients to sign up for lawsuits.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
The agreement includes procuring up to 170,000 Nvidia graphic processing units through 2027 and 2028.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
"The purpose of procuring Ozempic for British Columbia patients is not to turn around and export it right back to the United States," said then-health minister Adrian Dix.
From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026
“Shouldn’t you be procuring rooms for your ‘guests’?” she snaps, turning to face me as she angrily pulls her face mask off.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
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.
