GAINED Synonyms: 234 Similar and Opposite Words

gained

verb

past tense of gain

as in gathered

to gradually increase in our hopes were raised as the movement gained strength

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as in earned

to receive as return for effort gained her affections with his boyishly shy manner

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as in recovered

to become healthy and strong again after illness or weakness is steadily gaining after his bout with the flu and will be back on his feet soon

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as in increased

to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number the new version of the car gained in both width and length compared to the earlier model

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as in achieved

to obtain (as a goal) through effort vowed to gain control of the company by any means necessary

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as in convinced

to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest request the radical party was able to gain some supporters with intense recruitment on college campuses

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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 gained 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 Puerto Rican singer-songwriter gained popularity after uploading tracks to SoundCloud and signing to Pitbull’s record label. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 Mama June gained custody of her granddaughter Kaitlyn in September 2024, while Kylee lives with her father, Michael Cardwell, in Alabama. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 Energy companies gained, with shares of Halliburton , Chevron , Exxon Mobil , Valero Energy and Occidental Petroleum all rising roughly 1%. — Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 The Dow has gained nearly 19%, the S&P is up almost 22% and the Nasdaq has surged 27%. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 This theory gained more popularity after Swift was spotted out in London last month, debuting a fresh haircut which has historically signified a new era in the Taylor Swift Cinematic Universe. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026 Rage cycling sessions, anxiety yoga and dozens of similar fitness initiatives have gained traction in recent years, inviting people to choose workout classes based on experiences and emotions. — Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gained

Verb

Community members gathered for the town hall Monday night to hear from former employees, community leaders and the president and CEO of Insight, who spoke about his hopes for the now-shuttered West Suburban and Weiss Memorial hospitals.

— Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
During the surge, the most important of these turned out to be those founded during the upheaval that followed George Floyd’s murder, when residents gathered in nearby parks to organize block associations led by captains.

— Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of gathered

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

Verb

While 56% of retail leaders are confident that agentic AI initiatives will deliver quantifiable outcomes within the next 12 months, only 17% say their organization has achieved widespread, sustained business value across the enterprise.

— Jill Standish, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Beijing aims to transform the region into a high-altitude green energy powerhouse, with projects that include a $168 billion megadam, currently under construction, that could stretch the limits of what human engineering has achieved.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of achieved

Verb

Deco had previously monitored names such as Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, but none of them fully convinced all of the club’s decision-makers.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
These women can become depressed, isolated, paranoid — convinced their thinning hair is all other people see.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of convinced

Verb

In Cam Miller’s first start at quarterback against the Giants, the Dolphins’ offense had accumulated 102 yards by game’s end.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
As someone who played in the NFL for 10 seasons, which covered 133 regular season games, Marshall Newhouse accumulated more hits than could be recorded.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of accumulated

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gain

gained

gained ground

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

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Synonyms of gained

verb

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