obtained

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ob•tain /əbˈteɪn/   v. 

1. to come into possession of;
   acquire:
   [~ + object] to obtain a driver's license.
2. to be common or customary, esp. so as to be in force or to exist in a particular place or time:
   [no object* usually: not be + ~ -ing] the morals that obtained in ancient Rome.

ob•tain•a•ble, adj. 
ob•tain•ment, n. [uncountable] See -tain-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ob•tain  (əb tān′), v.t. 

1. to come into possession of;
   get, acquire, or procure, as through an effort or by a request:
   to obtain permission; to obtain a better income.
2. [Obs.] to attain or reach.

v.i. 

3. to be prevalent, customary, or in vogue;
   prevail:
   the morals that obtained in Rome.
4. [Archaic.] to succeed.

• Latin obtinēre to take hold of, equivalent. to ob- ob- + -tinēre (combining form of tenēre to hold)
• Middle French obtenir
• late Middle English obteinen 1375–1425

ob•tain′a•ble, adj. 
ob•tain′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
ob•tain′er, n. 
ob•tain′ment, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. gain, achieve, earn, win, attain. See get. 

Antonyms

• 1. lose, forgo.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

obtain / əbˈteɪn/ verb

1. (transitive) to gain possession of; acquire; get
2. (intransitive) to be customary, valid, or accepted: a new law obtains in this case

Etymology: 15th Century: via Old French from Latin obtinēre to take hold of, from ob- (intensive) + tenēre to hold

obˈtainable adjective

obˌtainaˈbility noun

obˈtainer noun

obˈtainment noun