1
as in to gather
to gradually increase in our hopes were raised as the movement gained strength
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2
as in to earn
to receive as return for effort gained her affections with his boyishly shy manner
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3
as in to recover
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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4
as in to increase
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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5
as in to achieve
to obtain (as a goal) through effort vowed to gain control of the company by any means necessary
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6
as in to persuade
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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1
as in increase
something added (as by growth) attributed her recent weight gain to the medication she was taking
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2
as in profit
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received the company posted a substantial fourth-quarter gain, signaling an end to their money-losing ventures
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3
as in revenue
usually gains plural an increase usually measured in money that comes from labor, business, or property net gains this year were better than last
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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 gain
George Petras, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026 Keeping your lawn thick and healthy with good sunlight, proper mowing, fertilization, and deep watering helps prevent ground ivy from gaining a foothold. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
Gary D. Robertson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 He has been charged in New York federal court with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. —Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gain
Verb
Once inside the hotel, dinner guests had their tickets checked at multiple points to gain access to the ballroom. —George Petras, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026 Keeping your lawn thick and healthy with good sunlight, proper mowing, fertilization, and deep watering helps prevent ground ivy from gaining a foothold. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
Van Dyke, who is stationed at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina, was charged Thursday with the unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. —Gary D. Robertson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 He has been charged in New York federal court with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. —Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gain
Verb
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Relatives of Amal Khalil, a Lebanese journalist who officials and her employer say was killed by an Israeli airstrike yesterday, gathered in Baysariyeh in southern Lebanon this morning to mourn her loss ahead of funeral processions.— Sean Nevin, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
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The energy was high in Vancouver last night as thousands of bartenders, industry insiders, and cocktail enthusiasts gathered for the unveiling of the 2026 edition of North America’s 50 Best Bars.— Megan Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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McDavid had led a 3-on-1 rush that fizzled out and soon after received Bouchard’s outlet pass, returning the puck to him and earning a secondary assist for the Art Ross Trophy winner’s first point of these playoffs.— Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
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Fedde, who came up with the Nationals and played with them from 2017-22, gave up three runs, one earned, on three hits in 5 2/3 innings.— Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One agent was shot and is expected to recover.— Bridget Byrne, Baltimore Sun, 26 Apr. 2026
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The Wave have little time to recover from their mile-high win.— Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Water testing has been temporarily increased to once a month at the Oceanside Harbor after someone reported seeing a suspicious liquid dumped from a boat.— Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
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This sprawling, unchecked population growth just increases water demand.— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Leicester City achieved a similar feat 10 years ago, but that’s considered the greatest shock in modern football history.— Elias Burke, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
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Grandparents are not interested in performance or outcomes, but in substance — not in what a child achieves, but in who that child becomes.— Peter Folan, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Somehow the estate managed to persuade HBO to come to an amicable settlement.— Martha Ross, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
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In the end, county officials were persuaded to act.— Anna Clark, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the wide receivers room was in dire need of a boost.— Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
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The factors that have helped consumers keep their heads above water in the face of tariff price rises and oil inflation, to name a few—such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and tax refunds—aren’t frequent boosts to spending.— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In February, O’Neil told the Financial Times that LIV was five to ten years away from turning a profit.— Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
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The Royals plan to build an entertainment district around the stadium to generate steady profits, though the depths of those plans are not yet clear.— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/gain. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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