Synonyms for obtain
əbˈteɪnob·tain

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.5 / 2 votes

1. obtain

   A person may obtain a situation by the intercession of friends, he procures a dinner by paying for it. Attain is a lofty word, pointing to some high or desirable result; a man attains the mountain summit, he attains honor or learning as the result of strenuous and earnest labor. Even that usage of attain which has been thought to refer to mere progress of time carries the thought of a result desired; as, to attain to old age; the man desires to live to a good old age; we should not speak of his attaining his dotage. One may attain an object that will prove not worth his labor, but what he achieves is in itself great and splendid; as, the Greeks at Marathon achieved a glorious victory. Compare DO; GET; REACH.

   Synonyms:
   accomplish, achieve, acquire, arrive at, attain, compass, earn, gain, get, grasp, master, procure, reach, secure, win

   Antonyms:
   abandon, fail, forfeit, give up, let go, lose, miss

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. obtainverb

   come into possession of

   "How did you obtain the visa?"

   Synonyms:
   incur, find, receive, prevail, get, hold

2. receive, get, find, obtain, incurverb

   receive a specified treatment (abstract)

   "These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation"; "His movie received a good review"; "I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions"

   Synonyms:
   pick up, make, mystify, experience, develop, draw, have, find oneself, become, sustain, receive, retrieve, scram, prevail, amaze, stimulate, sire, drive, engender, hold, go, rule, fix, stick, pay back, regain, happen, suffer, feel, beat, set about, get down, get under one's skin, incur, contract, bring forth, grow, dumbfound, stupefy, start, welcome, arrest, meet, witness, bring, bewilder, see, mother, chance, take, buzz off, catch, let, come up, beget, puzzle, flummox, invite, ascertain, get, generate, capture, find, baffle, produce, get hold, start out, pose, vex, aim, induce, find out, perplex, recover, bump, notice, gravel, begin, fetch, father, determine, commence, discover, encounter, arrive, set out, convey, acquire, come, line up, pay off, detect, bugger off, cause, take in, observe, nonplus

3. prevail, hold, obtainverb

   be valid, applicable, or true

   "This theory still holds"

   Synonyms:
   accommodate, book, retain, get, moderate, view as, support, take hold, hold back, harbour, defend, triumph, bind, run, deem, reign, hold up, endure, dominate, predominate, take, have, concord, rule, check, make, take for, go for, receive, throw, defy, control, harbor, keep, obligate, carry, give, adjudge, entertain, nurse, oblige, curb, hold, die hard, incur, confine, find, have got, arrest, restrain, apply, withstand, persist, agree, hold in, halt, contain, concur, maintain, guard, keep back, sustain, prevail, reserve, admit, declare, bear

Matched Categories

1. • Change
   • Exist
   • Get

Editors ContributionRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. gettethverb

   to get something from a person, place, or thing means to take possession of something.

   obtain and or receive

   Submitted by anonymous on August 10, 2022  

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. obtainverb

   Synonyms:
   procure, get, acquire, achieve, gain, win, earn, secure, get possession of

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. obtainverb

   Synonyms:
   gain, get, procure, acquire, win, attain, secure

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "obtain":

   obtaining, get, achieve, gain, receive, acquire, secure, seek, getting, obtained, collect, derive, elicit, gather, procure, gaining, earn, enlist, solicit, attain, learn, find, securing, access, produce, achieving, reach, win, provide, have

Suggested Resources

1. Obtain

   Obtain vs. Attain -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Obtain and Attain.

How to pronounce obtain?

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use obtain in a sentence?

1. Charles Boyle:

   The Governor deeply values input from any victims involved in the case at issue, and takes every effort to obtain that input in the most victim-centered and trauma-informed way possible, to that end, in seriously considering any clemency application, the Governor’s Office will reach out to the respective District Attorney’s office to obtain their input and any input from victims––as we have done in this case––well before making any decision to release someone from custody. Our office relies on the DA’s offices to accurately represent information to victims; it is unfortunate that misinformation appears to have been communicated in this case.

2. Andr Maurois:

   If men could regard the events of their own lives with more open minds, they would frequently discover that they did not really desire the things they failed to obtain.

3. Sydney Smith:

   Errors to be dangerous must have a great deal of truth mingled with them. It is only from this alliance that they can ever obtain an extensive circulation.

4. Eugene Kabambi:

   If we only organize in Kisenso, there will be huge crowds coming to Kisenso to obtain the vaccine and that could become unmanageable, so we're going to wait a little to obtain more (syringes).

5. John Ray:

   They did a very inadequate job, not once has anyone with the police department reached out to me to say, 'Hey what do you have? Is there anything you have that could help us?' I've managed to obtain substantial records in this case which I am certain the police never tried to obtain.