Acquire vs. Get — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 26, 2024
Acquire often implies a deliberate process to gain something of value, while get is more general, indicating obtaining or receiving with less emphasis on the method.
Difference Between Acquire and Get
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Key Differences
Acquire typically connotes a process of gaining something through effort or skill, suggesting a certain level of intention and purpose. On the other hand, get is used more broadly and can imply obtaining or receiving something without specifying the means or effort involved.
Acquire often pertains to obtaining assets or skills that are beneficial and intended for long-term usage. Whereas get can refer to the act of receiving or coming into possession of items, regardless of their longevity or value.
Acquire is frequently used in contexts where the item or skill obtained has a significant impact, such as in business or education. In contrast, get is versatile, applying to everyday situations and transactions, making it less formal.
Acquire suggests a certain formality and is less commonly used in casual conversation. On the other hand, get is ubiquitous in spoken and informal written English, appearing more frequently in casual dialogues.
Acquire often involves a sense of achievement or fulfillment as a result of the acquisition process. Get, however, does not inherently carry this connotation and is more neutral regarding the circumstances of obtaining.
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Comparison Chart
Connotation
Implies effort and intention
More general, less emphasis on method
Context
Used in formal settings or significant gains
Common in everyday, casual use
Formality
More formal
Less formal
Longevity and Value
Often long-term and valuable
Can be short-term or of any value
Frequency in Language
Less frequent, more specific
Very frequent, versatile
Compare with Definitions
Acquire
To contract or develop, as in acquiring a disease.
Patients can acquire immunity to the virus.
Get
To succeed in arriving at a place or condition.
Get home safe.
Acquire
To gain possession through effort or skill.
She acquired proficiency in three languages.
Get
To come into the possession of something; receive.
He got a new car for his birthday.
Acquire
To come into possession or control of something, typically as an asset.
The museum acquired new artifacts.
Get
To become affected by (an illness, condition, or phenomenon).
She got the flu last winter.
Acquire
To develop or learn a skill, habit, or quality.
He acquired a taste for fine wines.
Get
To understand something (often used conversationally).
I don’t get why he acted that way.
Acquire
To obtain by one’s own actions.
She acquired her wealth through smart investments.
Get
To cause something to happen or be done.
Get your homework done before you watch TV.
Acquire
Acquire is a multi-player mergers and acquisitions themed board game. It is played with tiles representing hotels that are arranged on the board, play money and stock certificates.
Get
Come to have (something); receive
I got a letter from him the other day
What kind of reception did you get?
Acquire
To gain possession of
Acquire 100 shares of stock.
Get
Succeed in attaining, achieving, or experiencing; obtain
He got a teaching job in California
I need all the sleep I can get
Acquire
To get by one's own efforts
Acquire proficiency in math.
Get
Reach or cause to reach a specified state or condition
I need to get my hair cut
He'd got thinner
It's getting late
You'll get used to it
Acquire
To gain through experience; come by
Acquired a growing dislike of television sitcoms.
Get
Come, go, or make progress eventually or with some difficulty
Nigel got home very late
He hadn't got very far with the book yet
Acquire
To locate (a target) with an aiming device or a tracking system, such as radar.
Get
See have
Acquire
(transitive) To get.
Get
Catch or apprehend (someone)
The police have got him
Acquire
(transitive) To gain, usually by one's own exertions; to get as one's own
He acquired a title.
All the riches he acquired were from hard work.
One should acquire as much knowledge as possible from reading.
To acquire a skill
To acquire decent habits and manners
Get
Understand (an argument or the person making it)
What do you mean? I don't get it
Acquire
(medicine) To contract.
Get
Acquire (knowledge) by study; learn
That knowledge which is gotten at school
Acquire
(computing) To sample signals and convert them into digital values.
Get
An animal's offspring.
Acquire
To gain, usually by one's own exertions; to get as one's own; as, to acquire a title, riches, knowledge, skill, good or bad habits.
No virtue is acquired in an instant, but step by step.
Descent is the title whereby a man, on the death of his ancestor, acquires his estate, by right of representation, as his heir at law.
Get
A person whom the speaker dislikes or despises.
Acquire
Come into the possession of something concrete or abstract;
She got a lot of paintings from her uncle
They acquired a new pet
Get your results the next day
Get permission to take a few days off from work
Get
To come into possession or use of; receive
Got a cat for her birthday.
Acquire
Take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect;
His voice took on a sad tone
The story took a new turn
He adopted an air of superiority
She assumed strange manners
The gods assume human or animal form in these fables
Get
To meet with or incur
Got nothing but trouble for her efforts.
Acquire
Locate (a moving entity) by means of a tracking system such as radar
Get
To go after and obtain
Got a book at the library.
Got breakfast in town.
Acquire
Win something through one's efforts;
I acquired a passing knowledge of Chinese
Gain an understanding of international finance
Get
To go after and bring
Get me a pillow.
Acquire
Acquire or gain knowledge or skills;
She learned dancing from her sister
I learned Sanskrit
Children acquire language at an amazing rate
Get
To purchase; buy
Get groceries.
Acquire
Gain through experience;
I acquired a strong aversion to television
Children must develop a sense of right and wrong
Dave developed leadership qualities in his new position
Develop a passion for painting
Get
To acquire as a result of action or effort
He got his information from the internet. You can't get water out of a stone.
Get
To earn
Got high marks in math.
Get
To accomplish or attain as a result of military action.
Get
To obtain by concession or request
Couldn't get the time off.
Got permission to go.
Get
To arrive at; reach
When did you get home?.
Get
To reach and board; catch
She got her plane two minutes before takeoff.
Get
To succeed in communicating with, as by telephone
Can't get me at the office until nine.
Get
To become affected with (an illness, for example) by infection or exposure; catch
Get the flu.
Got the mumps.
Get
To be subjected to; undergo
Got a severe concussion.
Get
To receive as retribution or punishment
Got six years in prison for tax fraud.
Get
To sustain a specified injury to
Got my arm broken.
Get
To perceive or become aware of by one of the senses
Get a whiff of perfume.
Got a look at the schedule.
Get
To gain or have understanding of
Do you get this question?.
Get
To learn (a poem, for example) by heart; memorize.
Get
To find or reach by calculating
Get a total.
Can't get the answer.
Get
To procreate; beget
“Is my life given me for nothing but to get children and work to bring them up?” (D.H. Lawrence).
Get
To cause to become or be in a specified state or condition
Got the children tired and cross.
Got the shirt clean.
Get
To make ready; prepare
Get lunch for the family.
Get
To cause to come or go
Got the car through traffic.
Get
To cause to move or leave
Get me out of here!.
Get
To cause to undertake or perform; prevail on
Got the guide to give us the complete tour.
Get
To take, especially by force; seize
The detective got the suspect as he left the restaurant.
Get
(Informal) To overcome or destroy
The ice storm got the rose bushes.
Get
To evoke an emotional response or reaction in
Romantic music really gets me.
Get
To annoy or irritate
What got me was his utter lack of initiative.
Get
To present a difficult problem to; puzzle
“It's the suspect's indifference that gets me,” the detective said.
Get
To take revenge on, especially to kill in revenge for a wrong.
Get
(Informal) To hit or strike
She got him on the chin. The bullet got him in the arm.
Get
(Baseball) To put out or strike out
Got the batter with a cut fastball.
Get
To have current possession of. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present
We've got plenty of cash.
Get
(Nonstandard) To have current possession of. Used in the past tense form with the meaning of the present
They got a nice house in town.
Get
To have as an obligation. Used in the present perfect form with the meaning of the present
I have got to leave early. You've got to do the dishes.
Get
(Nonstandard) To have as an obligation. Used in the past tense with the meaning of the present
They got to clean up this mess.
Get
To become or grow to be
Eventually got well.
Get
To be successful in coming or going
When will we get to Dallas?.
Get
To be able or permitted
Never got to see Europe.
Finally got to work at home.
Get
To be successful in becoming
Get free of a drug problem.
Get
Used with the past participle of transitive verbs as a passive voice auxiliary
Got stung by a bee.
Get
To become drawn in, entangled, or involved
Got into debt.
Get into a hassle.
Get
(Informal) To depart immediately
Yelled at the dog to get.
Get
To work for gain or profit; make money
Do you feel as though you're exhausting yourself getting and not making enough for spending?.
Get
Progeny; offspring
A thoroughbred's get.
Get
Chiefly British Slang git2.
Get
(Sports) A return, as in tennis, on a shot that seems impossible to reach.
Get
A document presented by a husband to his wife whereby a divorce is effected between them according to Jewish religious law.
Get
A divorce effected by a get.
Get
(ditransitive) To obtain; to acquire.
I'm going to get a computer tomorrow from the discount store.
Lance is going to get Mary a ring.
Get
(transitive) To receive.
I got a computer from my parents for my birthday.
You need to get permission to leave early.
He got a severe reprimand for that.
Get
To have. See usage notes.
I've got a concert ticket for you.
Get
(transitive) To fetch, bring, take.
Can you get my bag from the living-room, please?
I need to get this to the office.
Get
(copulative) To become, or cause oneself to become.
I'm getting hungry; how about you?
I'm going out to get drunk.
Get
(transitive) To cause to become; to bring about.
That song gets me so depressed every time I hear it.
I'll get this finished by lunchtime.
I can't get these boots off (or on).
Get
(transitive) To cause to do.
Somehow she got him to agree to it.
I can't get it to work.
Get
(transitive) To cause to come or go or move.
I got him to his room.
Get
To adopt, assume, arrive at, or progress towards (a certain position, location, state).
The actors are getting into position.
When are we going to get to London?
I'm getting into a muddle.
We got behind the wall.
Get
(transitive) To cover (a certain distance) while travelling.
To get a mile
Get
(intransitive) To begin (doing something or to do something).
We ought to get moving or we'll be late.
After lunch we got chatting.
I'm getting to like him better now.
Get
(transitive) To take or catch (a scheduled transportation service).
I normally get the 7:45 train.
I'll get the 9 a.m. [flight] to Boston.
Get
(transitive) To respond to (a telephone call, a doorbell, etc).
Can you get that call, please? I'm busy.
Get
To be able, be permitted, or have the opportunity (to do something desirable or ironically implied to be desirable).
I'm so jealous that you got to see them perform live!
The finders get to keep 80 percent of the treasure.
Great. I get to clean the toilets today.
Get
To be told; be the recipient of (a question, comparison, opinion, etc.).
"You look just like Helen Mirren." / "I get that a lot."
Get
(informal) To be. Used to form the passive of verbs.
He got bitten by a dog.
Get
(transitive) To become ill with or catch (a disease).
I went on holiday and got malaria.
Get
To catch out, trick successfully.
He keeps calling pretending to be my boss—it gets me every time.
Get
To perplex, stump.
That question's really got me.
Get
(transitive) To find as an answer.
What did you get for question four?
Get
To bring to reckoning; to catch (as a criminal); to effect retribution.
The cops finally got me.
I'm gonna get him for that.
Get
(transitive) To hear completely; catch.
Sorry, I didn't get that. Could you repeat it?
Get
(transitive) To getter.
I put the getter into the container to get the gases.
Get
To beget (of a father).
Get
(archaic) To learn; to commit to memory; to memorize; sometimes with out.
To get a lesson;
To get out one's Greek lesson
Get
Used with a personal pronoun to indicate that someone is being pretentious or grandiose.
Get her with her new hairdo.
Get
To go, to leave; to scram.
Get
(euphemism) To kill.
They’re coming to get you, Barbara.
Get
To make acquisitions; to gain; to profit.
Get
(transitive) To measure.
Did you get her temperature?
Get
(dated) Offspring.
Get
Lineage.
Get
A difficult return or block of a shot.
Get
(informal) Something gained; an acquisition.
Get
A git.
Get
(Judaism) A Jewish writ of divorce.
Get
Jet, the mineral.
Get
Fashion; manner; custom.
Get
Artifice; contrivance.
Get
Offspring; progeny; as, the get of a stallion.
Get
A divorce granted by a Rabbi in accordance with Jewish law; also, the document attesting to the divorce.
Get
To procure; to obtain; to gain possession of; to acquire; to earn; to obtain as a price or reward; to come by; to win, by almost any means; as, to get favor by kindness; to get wealth by industry and economy; to get land by purchase, etc.
Get
Hence, with have and had, to come into or be in possession of; to have.
Thou hast got the face of man.
Get
To beget; to procreate; to generate.
I had rather to adopt a child than get it.
Get
To obtain mental possession of; to learn; to commit to memory; to memorize; as to get a lesson; also with out; as, to get out one's Greek lesson.
It being harder with him to get one sermon by heart, than to pen twenty.
Get
To prevail on; to induce; to persuade.
Get him to say his prayers.
Get
To procure to be, or to cause to be in any state or condition; - with a following participle.
Those things I bid you do; get them dispatched.
Get
To betake; to remove; - in a reflexive use.
Get thee out from this land.
He . . . got himself . . . to the strong town of Mega.
Get
To make acquisition; to gain; to profit; to receive accessions; to be increased.
We mourn, France smiles; we lose, they daily get.
Get
To arrive at, or bring one's self into, a state, condition, or position; to come to be; to become; - with a following adjective or past participle belonging to the subject of the verb; as, to get sober; to get awake; to get beaten; to get elected.
To get rid of fools and scoundrels.
His chariot wheels get hot by driving fast.
Get
Come into the possession of something concrete or abstract;
She got a lot of paintings from her uncle
They acquired a new pet
Get your results the next day
Get permission to take a few days off from work
Get
Enter or assume a certain state or condition;
He became annoyed when he heard the bad news
It must be getting more serious
Her face went red with anger
She went into ecstasy
Get going!
Get
Cause to move; cause to be in a certain position or condition;
He got his squad on the ball
This let me in for a big surprise
He got a girl into trouble
Get
Receive a specified treatment (abstract);
These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation
His movie received a good review
I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions
Get
Reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress;
She arrived home at 7 o'clock
She didn't get to Chicago until after midnight
Get
Go or come after and bring or take back;
Get me those books over there, please
Could you bring the wine?
The dog fetched the hat
Get
Of mental or physical states or experiences;
Get an idea
Experience vertigo
Get nauseous
Undergo a strange sensation
The chemical undergoes a sudden change
The fluid undergoes shear
Receive injuries
Have a feeling
Get
Take vengeance on or get even;
We'll get them!
That'll fix him good!
This time I got him
Get
Achieve a point or goal;
Nicklaus had a 70
The Brazilian team got 4 goals
She made 29 points that day
Get
Cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner;
The ads induced me to buy a VCR
My children finally got me to buy a computer
My wife made me buy a new sofa
Get
Succeed in catching or seizing, especially after a chase;
We finally got the suspect
Did you catch the thief?
Get
Be stricken by an illness, fall victim to an illness;
He got AIDS
She came down with pneumonia
She took a chill
Get
Communicate with a place or person; establish communication with, as if by telephone;
Bill called this number and he got Mary
The operator couldn't get Kobe because of the earthquake
Get
Give certain properties to something;
Get someone mad
She made us look silly
He made a fool of himself at the meeting
Don't make this into a big deal
This invention will make you a millionaire
Make yourself clear
Get
Move into a desired direction of discourse;
What are you driving at?
Get
Grasp with the mind or develop an undersatnding of;
Did you catch that allusion?
We caught something of his theory in the lecture
Don't catch your meaning
Did you get it?
She didn't get the joke
I just don't get him
Get
Attract and fix;
His look caught her
She caught his eye
Catch the attention of the waiter
Get
Reach with a blow or hit in a particular spot;
The rock caught her in the back of the head
The blow got him in the back
The punch caught him in the stomach
Get
Reach by calculation;
What do you get when you add up these numbers?
Get
Acquire as a result of some effort or action;
You cannot get water out of a stone
Where did she get these news?
Get
Purchase;
What did you get at the toy store?
Get
Perceive by hearing;
I didn't catch your name
She didn't get his name when they met the first time
Get
Suffer from the receipt of;
She will catch hell for this behavior!
Get
Receive as a retribution or punishment;
He got 5 years in prison
Get
Leave immediately; used usually in the imperative form;
Scram!
Get
Reach and board;
She got the bus just as it was leaving
Get
Irritate;
Her childish behavior really get to me
His lying really gets me
Get
Evoke an emotional response;
Brahms's `Requiem' gets me every time
Get
Apprehend and reproduce accurately;
She really caught the spirit of the place in her drawings
She got the mood just right in her photographs
Get
In baseball: earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher;
He drew a base on balls
Get
Overcome or destroy;
The ice storm got my hibiscus
The cat got the goldfish
Get
Be a mystery or bewildering to;
This beats me!
Got me--I don't know the answer!
A vexing problem
This question really stuck me
Get
Take the first step or steps in carrying out an action;
We began working at dawn
Who will start?
Get working as soon as the sun rises!
The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia
He began early in the day
Let's get down to work now
Get
Undergo (as of injuries and illnesses);
She suffered a fracture in the accident
He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars
She got a bruise on her leg
He got his arm broken in the scuffle
Get
Make children;
Abraham begot Isaac
Men often father children but don't recognize them
Common Curiosities
Which term is broader in application, acquire or get?
Get has a broader application and can fit into many contexts without specifics.
What does get imply in terms of effort?
Get does not necessarily imply any effort; it's about coming into possession.
Can acquire and get be used interchangeably in sentences?
Not always; acquire is more formal and implies effort, unlike get.
How do children typically learn the use of get versus acquire?
Children learn to use get early due to its simplicity and frequent usage.
Is acquire used in everyday conversation?
It's less common in casual speech, more suited to formal or business contexts.
What is the primary difference in usage between acquire and get?
Acquire often requires deliberate effort, whereas get can happen without effort.
Do acquire and get have the same connotations?
No, acquire is often more positive, implying a valuable gain.
In what context might someone prefer to use acquire over get?
In professional or academic contexts where precision and formality are needed.
Which term is preferred in legal or formal documents?
Acquire is preferred for its formal tone and precise implications.
What are synonyms for acquire and get?
For acquire: obtain, procure; for get: obtain, receive.
Can either term be used in a financial context?
Yes, but acquire is more common when referring to significant assets.
Is it correct to use get when referring to skills?
It's less typical; acquire is more suitable for skills and abilities.
Can get have negative connotations?
Yes, in contexts like getting a disease.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
