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?

How to say obtain in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use obtain in a sentence?

1. Duncan Weir:

   This survey is the first step for us in examining, in detail, the wide range of issues currently affecting participation in golf, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence available but we conducted the survey to obtain accurate data on how much of an issue pace of play is for golfers and to give us an insight into what they see as the main factors contributing to slow rounds.

2. Michael Cohen:

   These documents and others were provided to Deutsche Bank on one occasion in which I was with him in our attempt to obtain money so that we can put a bid on the Buffalo Bills.

3. Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee:

   I think it would be very, very helpful if the federal government could be more assertive and aggressive and more organized in helping all of us to obtain these systems.

4. Bob Goodlatte:

   In order to obtain a fiancee visa, it is required to demonstrate proof that the U.S. citizen and foreign national have met in person. However, Malik's immigration file does not show sufficient evidence for this requirement.

5. John Sifton:

   Some will be able to navigate Taliban checkpoints to obtain access to airports, which may have a limited number of commercial or chartered flights in the future, but a lot of these people are going to flee over land and present themselves in various places bordering Afghanistan.