obtain

verb

əb-ˈtān How to pronounce obtain (audio)
Definition of obtainnext
as in to earn
to receive as return for effort after years of proving herself, she obtained recognition as a serious journalist

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 obtain On Friday, prosecutors announced that 30-year-old Ochoa had been convicted of 18 counts of obtaining money by fraud with an allegation that the total fraud exceeded $500,000. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 As part of the deal, Kingsbarn would purchase land of equal value elsewhere in California and hand it over to the park service, according to documents obtained by NOTUS, which first reported the move. — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026 White attended the Indiana Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse wearing a long blonde wig, as seen in photos and video obtained by OutKick. — Jackson Thompson , Patricia Babcock McGraw Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 In photos obtained by Us Weekly, the football star could be seeing flashing his extra chunky gold wedding band on his left hand. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obtain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtain
  1. earn
  2. gain
  3. win
  4. reap
  5. garner
  6. get
  7. make
  8. attain
Verb
  • Some soldiers distinguished themselves by helping to render emergency trauma response and first aid to civilians, earning individual service commendations, according to the Arkansas National Guard.
    — Neal Earley, Arkansas Online, 29 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday, those five writers — also DSA-LA members — panned the idea of an endorsement, saying Raman hasn’t earned it.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of earn
Verb
  • Oswego finished seven of its 11 drives by scoring points and gained 483 yards.
    — Jerry Birchfield, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Iceland, which gained independence from Denmark in 1944, has a proud history of independence, of not allowing itself to be pushed around by bigger and richer European nations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of gain
Verb
  • The contestants will have to design a wedding dress that showcases their style, and the winning design will be produced and sold by David’s Bridal.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In the final moments of the game, Chad scores the game-winning touchdown, but a penalty sets them back with just two seconds left on the clock.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of win
Verb
  • Opponents also rallied around the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises that come with full membership.
    — Kwiyeon Ha, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Opponents rallied around fishing and the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises that inevitably come with full membership.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of reap
Verb
  • Over the years, Allen has garnered praise from Inter Miami coaches for playing bigger than his size (5-9), for his versatility and coachability.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • After world premiering in 1990 in Cannes, where Depardieu won Best Actor, the film enjoyed a buzzy awards season garnering five nominations in the lead up to the 63rd Academy Awards, including for Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of garner
Verb
  • When the earnings release first hit the tape, the stock initially moved higher by a couple of percentage points, only to reverse course before the conference call even got underway.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But then Sandy stops by for a friendly chat, and his daughter Nina (Zosia Mamet, ice-cold and slightly underused) gets serious.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • Bonnell is the latest company to make that argument, launching the new 805 RX as the first model in its e-Moto lineup.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Also, supportive connections between Mercury and Mars make this a great time for addressing personal matters with a clear head and common sense.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of make
Verb
  • Her Mexican mother was naturalized thanks to the 1986 amnesty, but her first husband struggled for years to attain legal status.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In this new culture, freedom was attained not through engagement in political struggle but through individual consumer choices.
    — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of attain

Browse Nearby Words

obstructs
obtain
obtainability
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Cite this Entry

“Obtain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obtain. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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