acquired 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of acquirednext
1
as in adscititious

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2
as in nonhereditary

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acquired

2 of 2

verb

past tense of acquire
1
as in developed
to come to have gradually from years of working two jobs, he has acquired the ability to get by on only a few hours of sleep a day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in earned
to receive as return for effort acquired a reputation for always arriving at his friends' house just as they were sitting down to dinner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acquired
Adjective
Transferring to Paramount+ will be all content currently on BET+ – original and acquired – subject to rights restrictions and license expirations. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
Seems the car had caught fire at a Cadillac dealership in New York, and Birdsall had acquired it. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 31 Aug. 2026 That trade, and one that immediately followed, also landed a starting point guard (Davion Mitchell) who otherwise would not have been acquired. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026 Brainlabs acquired it in 2022 for an eight-figure sum, when Armoo was just 27. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 Shortly after Jacobs was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list Sunday, Green Bay acquired second-year running back Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Cabrera, the veteran starter acquired from the Miami Marlins, is scheduled for a rehab outing at Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday after a blister forced him to the IL. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Last year, through Luxury Holdings LLC, Kristen and Peter Kern, previously CEO of Expedia, acquired La Perla, which had been declared insolvent after changing hands for years. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026 Second-year guard Monique Akoa Makani, who was acquired from the Phoenix Mercury in the Kelsey Plum trade, started in Burrell’s place. — John W. Davis, Oc Register, 25 Aug. 2026 Archer recently acquired control of the airport through a separate transaction. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquired
  1. incidental
  2. nonhereditary
  3. developed
  4. earned
  5. surface
  6. cultivated
  7. gained
  8. accidental
Adjective
  • Serialization itself is interesting—the inadvertent or almost incidental meaning that can come from putting one thing next to another thing.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • That included nearly $12,000 for Marshall’s airfare and transportation, more than $6,000 for the senator’s per diem and $689 in incidental expenses.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of incidental
Adjective
  • Other research shows that nonhereditary forms can result from other factors, including existing medical conditions and diet, reports Maya Yang of the Guardian.
    — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Aug. 2021
  • Evan, who turns 2 in December, was born with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare, nonhereditary genetic disorder that has a most cruel and unusual symptom — chronic hunger.
    — Maureen C. Gilmer, Indianapolis Star, 14 Sep. 2017
Definition of nonhereditary
Verb
  • As in the previous episode, Samir’s internal conflict is the least developed here.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Equine therapy has also developed into an effective element of Grief Journeys, which reflect a growing interest in travel centered on healing and personal transformation.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of developed
Verb
  • Singletary took a pay cut to the minimum salary to stay this offseason, and then earned his spot on the roster.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Bartko, who earned degrees in civil engineering and law in Belarus, fled her home country on a student visa to avoid political persecution over her vocal opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of earned
Adjective
  • Massachusetts is equipped for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence gathering, surveillance, strike missions, special operations, and mine warfare.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Thanks to strong multi-surface suction, this upright vacuum can go right from the living room carpet to the kitchen without missing a beat (or a crumb).
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of surface
Verb
  • Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums are carefully cultivated and tended through summer to produce the tight, abundant domes of little flowers gardeners prize in autumn.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Meaning that the blue weber agave used in its production was cultivated from farms that actively restore soil health and improve local ecosystems rather than just sustaining them.
    — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Verb
  • When glamour replaced natural as the look of choice, hair—and its power to call attention, decorate, and define—gained new potency.
    — Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In Waters, the project has gained a prominent activist and supporter of Palestinian liberation.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of gained
Adjective
  • This included expert witnesses who said the child’s death was an accidental drowning brought on by a seizure and a jailhouse informant who recanted his trial testimony that Duncan had confessed to the crime.
    — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In all three cases, authorities have appeared to suggest their deaths were accidental.
    — Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of accidental

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Cite this Entry

“Acquired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acquired. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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