procure

[proh-kyoor, pruh-]

verb (used with object)

procured, procuring 

1. to obtain or get by care, effort, or the use of special means.

   to procure evidence.

   Synonyms: win, gain
   Antonyms: lose

2. to bring about, especially by unscrupulous and indirect means.

   to procure secret documents.

   Synonyms: contrive

3. to obtain (a person) for the purpose of prostitution.

verb (used without object)

procured, procuring 

1. to act as a procurer or pimp.

   Synonyms: pimp, pander

procure

/ prəˈkjʊə /

verb

1. (tr) to obtain or acquire; secure

2. to obtain (women or girls) to act as prostitutes

Other Word Forms

• procurable adjective
• procurance noun
• procurement noun
• self-procured adjective
• self-procuring adjective
• unprocured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of procure¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English procuren, from Latin prōcūrāre “to take care of”; pro- ¹, cure

Word History and Origins

Origin of procure¹

C13: from Latin prōcūrāre to look after, from _pro- ¹ + cūrāre to care for

Synonym Study

See get.

Example Sentences

It is "important that these additional funds are solely used to finance Ukraine's military equipment", Merz wrote in the Financial Times, adding that EU member states and Ukraine would "jointly determine" which weapons to procure.

Read more on BBC

But even so, more meat than needed would be procured, the researchers say.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The law also gives companies owned by those people a substantial edge in procuring government contracts.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The European Union will encourage its member states to jointly procure drone and air defense equipment as part of a five-year strategy to rearm and deter Russia.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There is no real synergy in procuring coffee beans.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• buy up 
• get hold of 
• solicit 

When To Use

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.