obtain
Other forms: obtained; obtaining; obtains
Obtain means to get something that is not so easy to come by such as knowledge, rights, or a large amount of money. You wouldn't say you obtained a pair of pants, unless they were one of a kind.
At times in its history, obtain has meant to be victorious or to succeed. Today, it mostly means to acquire, but keeping its prior meanings in mind helps you to use it in the right way. College degrees are something that you obtain as is permission from your parents to go to a party. When you obtain something, you have worked hard to get it, so you are pretty happy to have it.
Definitions of obtain
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come into possession of“How did you obtain the visa?”
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types:
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carry
secure the passage or adoption (of bills and motions)
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dig up, excavate, turn up
find by digging in the ground
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extort, wring from
get or cause to become in a difficult or laborious manner
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kite
get credit or money by using a bad check
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source
get (a product) from another country or business
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procure, secure
get by special effort
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extract
get despite difficulties or obstacles
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take out
obtain by legal or official process
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get in, get into
secure a place in a college, university, etc.
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eke out, squeeze out
obtain with difficulty
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bum, cadge, grub, mooch, sponge
ask for and get free; be a parasite
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derive, gain
obtain
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shop
do one's shopping
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snag
get by acting quickly and smartly
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grab
obtain illegally or unscrupulously
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suborn
procure (false testimony or perjury)
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grub out, grub up
dig up
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nuzzle
dig out with the snout
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prise, pry
make an uninvited or presumptuous inquiry
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copyright
secure a copyright on a written work
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patent
obtain a patent for
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engage, enlist
hire for work or assistance
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freeload
live off somebody's generosity
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draw, reap
get or derive
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market
buy household supplies
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outsource
obtain goods or services from an outside supplier; to contract work out
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disinter, exhume
dig up for reburial or for medical investigation; of dead bodies
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receive a specified treatment (abstract)
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be valid, applicable, or true
Pronunciation
US
/əbˈteɪn/
UK
/əbˈteɪn/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘obtain'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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