acquire
/əˈkwaɪɚ/
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Type
Verb
Meaning
To buy or obtain an asset, object, or property.
The museum recently acquired several rare paintings from a private collector.
How much capital will we need to acquire that prime downtown property?
To gradually develop or learn a skill, habit, or quality over time.
Children acquire their native language naturally without explicit grammar instruction.
Over twenty years in finance, she had acquired a reputation for ruthless efficiency.
How it's used
- acquire the property
“acquire it.”
The firm plans to acquire its main competitor next quarter.
Collocations
- acquire assets
- acquire a company
- acquire land
- acquire knowledge
- acquire skills
- acquire a taste for
- acquire a reputation
- acquire a habit
Antonyms
- relinquish
- divest
- lose
Idioms
an acquired taste
something one learns to appreciate only after trying it repeatedly
Raw oysters are definitely an acquired taste for most people.