What does "obtain" mean?
To get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way.
Obtain
/əbˈteɪn/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way.
- Grammar: obtain is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: receive, accept, accepted rule, access.
- Useful contrasts: cable, forfeiting, forfeits.
- Usage evidence: How did you obtain these old postage stamps?
How to use "obtain"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "obtain" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "obtain" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "obtain" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "obtain" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "obtain" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "receive" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "obtain", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To get hold of; to gain possession of, to procure; to acquire, in any way. transitive
"obtain permission"
- 2 receive a specified treatment (abstract) wordnet
- 3 To secure (that) a specific objective or state of affairs be reached. intransitive, obsolete
"he was condemned to die for the felony, and being so well known for an old offender, had certainly died, but the merchant, upon his earnest application, had obtained that he should be transported, on condition that he restored all the rest of his bills, which he had done accordingly."
- 4 come into possession of wordnet
- 5 To prevail, be victorious; to succeed. intransitive, obsolete
"“O daughter deare!” (said she) “despeire no whit; / For never sore but might a salve obtain [...].”"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 be valid, applicable, or true wordnet
- 7 To hold; to keep, possess or occupy. obsolete, transitive
"His mother then is mortal, but his Sire / He who obtains the monarchy of Heav'n, / And what will he not do to advance his Son?"
- 8 To exist or be the case; to hold true, be in force. intransitive
"Even though the Pervaise confession had never come to light, no reasonable doubt could obtain; for the act in question […] was on a par with countless other acts committed by the oligarchs, and, before them, by the capitalists."
Antonyms
Example
"How did you obtain these old postage stamps?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "obtain"?
Common synonyms include: receive, accept, accepted rule, access, accessed, accesses.
How do you use "obtain" in a sentence?
How did you obtain these old postage stamps?
How do you pronounce "obtain"?
Pronounced /əbˈteɪn/.
Etymology
From Middle English obteinen, from Anglo-Norman obtenir, optiner et al., and Middle French obtenir, from Latin obtinēre (“to gain, achieve, succeed, possess”), from ob- + tenēre (“to hold”).