acquired 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of acquirednext
1
as in adscititious

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2
as in nonhereditary

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acquired

2 of 2

verb

past tense of acquire
1
as in developed
to come to have gradually from years of working two jobs, he has acquired the ability to get by on only a few hours of sleep a day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in earned
to receive as return for effort acquired a reputation for always arriving at his friends' house just as they were sitting down to dinner

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acquired
Adjective
Transferring to Paramount+ will be all content currently on BET+ – original and acquired – subject to rights restrictions and license expirations. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
Fortescue acquired the Toowong Process in 2022 and spent four years refining it at a demonstration plant in Brisbane. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026 In 2019, the Los Angeles Public Library acquired the Brockman Gallery Archive. — Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 In 2023, the firm acquired Reclaimed Cleaning Textiles, whose businesses include World Wear Project. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Below the knee, his right leg seems to have acquired an extra joint. — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 Many state wiretap and eavesdropping laws are written around whether a private communication was intercepted or its contents were acquired — not simply whether a conventional audio recording was created. — Mackenzie Sigalos,annie Palmer, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026 After the drama was embraced at Cannes Film Festival with a 16-minute standing ovation, Netflix acquired the movie for around $5 million. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 Determining which scenario is more likely could reveal whether Mars experienced a massive moon-forming collision or acquired its moons from elsewhere in the early solar system. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026 The maison acquired the tiara at auction earlier this year for its archive. — Tanya Dukes, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquired
  1. incidental
  2. nonhereditary
  3. developed
  4. earned
  5. surface
  6. cultivated
  7. gained
  8. accidental
Adjective
  • But then the story stalls, zeroes in on some incidental detail, and collapses into a mode of reflection that is circular and recursive.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That’s called an incidental finding, leading doctors to investigate well before symptoms develop and possibly early enough that the cancer remains small and hasn’t spread.
    — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of incidental
Adjective
  • Other research shows that nonhereditary forms can result from other factors, including existing medical conditions and diet, reports Maya Yang of the Guardian.
    — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2021
  • Evan, who turns 2 in December, was born with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare, nonhereditary genetic disorder that has a most cruel and unusual symptom — chronic hunger.
    — Maureen C. Gilmer, Indianapolis Star, 14 Sep. 2017
Definition of nonhereditary
Verb
  • This individual asset is often referred to as zest, and it can be purposefully developed to assist us in managing daily stressors as well as creating meaningful lives.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Rockefeller Foundation has just published a policy proposal – developed in partnership with leading experts – that details how a Growth and Investment Reset could work.
    — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of developed
Verb
  • Lawmakers were surprised to learn that nearly 1,700 state employees in all departments were paid more than $50,000 in overtime alone, while nearly 2,600 employees earned more than $40,000 in overtime in addition to their salaries.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Their primary race is still regarded as a historic political earthquake, but, in the final tally, Ocasio-Cortez earned fewer than seventeen thousand votes.
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of earned
Adjective
  • The ship also supports anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and strike warfare.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The newest options have expanded to include gravel running, or multi-surface running, for the modern sneaker shoe.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of surface
Verb
  • Vance speaks with the manipulative skill of a politician who has cultivated a rapid-fire style designed not to persuade, but to overwhelm.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Porsche has cultivated an identity that extends well beyond the vehicles sitting in its dealerships.
    — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Verb
  • The Rams amassed over 400 total yards, gained 30-plus first downs, scored five touchdowns, converted 50 percent of their third downs, and committed zero turnovers against the Bills.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Amazon — The e-commerce giant gained more than 1% after Morgan Stanley named it a top pick and raised its price target.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of gained
Adjective
  • The task for the printmakers, led by Erik Hougen, Jeremy Ruiz, and Tom Smith, was to reproduce the jottings, corrections, and accidental smears on Safdie’s notecard as faithfully as possible, and also to scale it up in size.
    — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Good news for Boeing, but could this accidental monopoly be a potential disaster waiting to happen?
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental

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Cite this Entry

“Acquired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquired. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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