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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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
In 2015, the property was acquired by HRV Hotel Partners before partnering with Auberge Collection in 2016. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 More recently, Frasers Group acquired the loss-making Harvey Nichols out of administration in August, gaining control of the 193-year-old luxury department store chain from Hong Kong businessman Dickson Poon. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 The film has been acquired by Billboard ahead of its fall festival premieres. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026 The jockstrap has been acquired by the Last Week Tonight show host several times and has a long history as a sort-of joke and sort-of charitable item. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2026 The event will celebrate Frasers Group Luxury, a new division of the business comprising Flannels, The Webster, and recently acquired British department store Harvey Nichols. — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026 Equinoxe Films has acquired the Canadian distribution rights to Elise, targeting a theatrical release in Q4 of next year. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026 Less than two weeks after the Minnesota state-bond purchase, the president’s accounts acquired two Illinois state bonds worth $1 million to $5 million each. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026 In what probably should’ve been a tell, when AT&T acquired it in 2018, the telecom swallowed Time Warner whole and there was no trace of the Warner name. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acquired
  1. incidental
  2. nonhereditary
  3. developed
  4. earned
  5. surface
  6. cultivated
  7. gained
  8. accidental
Adjective
  • The insects also develop in quince and are reported to be incidental in plums, pears, tart cherries, and certain other members of the rose family.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
  • In one of these journals, called Notebook B, there is an incidental sketch, a few scratched lines like the barren twigs of a winter tree.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 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
  • Their arrival brings the number of satellites developed for GHGSat to 13.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • This is a sensitive moment for Brazil's democracy Brazil emerged from military dictatorship in 1985 and has since developed into one of the world's largest democracies.
    — Catherine Osborn, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of developed
Verb
  • Romero earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from California State University, Long Beach, in addition to her doctorate from UC Riverside.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Formed in 2012, Polaris broke through with 2017’s The Mortal Coil and 2020’s The Death of Me, both of which debuted in the Australian Top 10 and earned ARIA nominations for best hard rock/heavy metal album.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of earned
Adjective
  • The ship also supports anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and strike warfare.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The newest options have expanded to include gravel running, or multi-surface running, for the modern sneaker shoe.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of surface
Verb
  • Marijuana is cultivated for high levels of THC in its flowers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The grim scene was a stark contrast to the flamboyant public life the businessman had cultivated.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of cultivated
Verb
  • Pulse oximeters gained prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic, offering anyone a handheld tool to take stock of their blood oxygen level.
    — Anil Oza, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Gordon gained two yards on a first down run, and Willis then threw errantly on a pressured throw to Jalen Tolbert that would have gone nowhere even if it had been completed.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of gained
Adjective
  • Healthcare workers will often wear personal protective equipment, such as an N95 mask, or even a full body suit in case of accidental exposure.
    — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • His death at 33 was ruled accidental, but rumors persist drugs played a role.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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