obtained
- 1Simple past and past participle of obtain.
The researchers obtained permission to access the sealed archive.
He obtained a degree in chemistry after six years of study.
Note
A single regular -ed form does double duty here. It is the simple past (she obtained a copy) and the participle (a copy was obtained; she has obtained one). Watch for the other living meaning of obtain, 'to exist or be in force.' That use takes no object and cannot be made passive: the rules that obtained at the time were strict. Obtained meaning 'got hold of' always needs an object.
The customs that obtained in the village had changed little in a century.
Under the conditions that obtained then, travel was slow and costly.
obtained is a form of obtain
obtain, verb: To gain possession of something, or to acquire it by some means or effort. Full entry
- Spelling
- obtain → obtained: add -ed
- Sound
- The ending sounds like /d/.
Use it in a sentence
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