Word
gain
US/ˈɡeɪn/
UK/ɡˈeɪn/
Definitions
01to acquire or obtain
B1 · Intermediate
v. to get something that is useful or positive, such as information, experience, or an advantage.
v. to obtain or acquire something desirable or advantageous. Transitive — takes a direct object.
“She hoped to gain some work experience during her summer internship.”
“By volunteering at the local clinic, the medical student hoped to gain practical insights that textbooks alone could not provide.”
Antonyms
02to increase in amount
B1 · Intermediate
v. to increase in a specific quality like weight, speed, or height.
v. to increase in a particular measurement or quality. Often used with 'weight' or 'speed'.
Español:ganar
“The car began to gain speed as it went down the hill.”
“The patient began to gain weight steadily once the new nutritional plan was implemented by the hospital staff.”
Synonyms
03to reach a place
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to arrive at a destination, especially after a difficult journey.
v. to reach or arrive at a destination through effort or progress.
“The climbers finally gained the summit just before the sun went down.”
“After hours of struggling through the dense undergrowth, the explorers finally gained the crest of the ridge and saw the valley below.”
04to catch up
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to get closer to someone you are chasing or following.
v. to narrow the distance between oneself and a person or thing being pursued. Usually used with the preposition 'on'.
“The police car was gaining on the stolen vehicle during the chase.”
“Despite his late start, the lead runner noticed that the challenger was slowly gaining on him during the final lap.”
Antonyms
05profit or advantage
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. an increase in wealth, power, or a similar advantage.
n. an increase in wealth, assets, or advantage; often used in financial or political contexts.
“The company reported a significant gain in profits this year.”
“The unexpected political gain in the northern territories shifted the balance of power within the coalition government.”
Antonyms
06signal increase
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Electronics Technical
n. the amount by which an electronic signal is made stronger.
n. the ratio of output power or voltage to input power or voltage in an electronic system.
“You can adjust the gain on the microphone if the sound is too quiet.”
“The engineer increased the gain on the amplifier to compensate for the signal loss over the long cable run.”
Synonyms
07woodworking notch
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Architecture Technical
n. a small cut or hole made in a piece of wood to hold another piece.
n. a notch or mortise cut into a timber to receive the end of another beam or joist.
“The carpenter cut a gain into the post to support the crossbeam.”
“The structural integrity of the floor depended on the precision of each gain cut into the primary girders.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “gain” in context.
Verb
01. achieve gain
“The company managed to achieve a significant gain in market share this quarter.”
verb + noun
02. demonstrate gain
“The test results demonstrate a clear gain in the students' reading abilities.”
verb + noun
03. expect gain
“Investors expect a modest gain in stock prices over the next few months.”
verb + noun
04. gain acceptance
“It took several years for the new theory to gain acceptance among the scientific community.”
verb + noun
05. gain benefit
“Students will gain benefit from attending the extra workshops offered after school.”
verb + noun
06. gain experience
“Internships are a great way for graduates to gain experience in their chosen field.”
verb + noun
07. gain information
“The researchers conducted interviews to gain information about local wildlife.”
verb + noun
08. gain knowledge
“Reading widely helps you gain knowledge about different cultures and perspectives.”
verb + noun
09. gain recognition
“The artist is finally starting to gain recognition for her unique style.”
verb + noun
Noun
10. economic gain
“The government is focused on long-term economic gain rather than short-term profits.”
adj + noun
11. knowledge gain
“The study measured the knowledge gain of participants after the training session.”
noun + noun
12. net gain
“After all expenses were paid, the net gain for the event was five hundred dollars.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“Packing 75mph (120km/h) winds, Lala gained hurricane strength on Saturday.” “They were seeking to push back against social gains made by anti-racists.” Etymology
From Middle English gayn, gain, gein (“profit, advantage”), from Old Norse gagn (“benefit, advantage, use”), from Proto-Germanic gagną, gaganą (“gain, profit", literally "return”), from Proto-Germanic gagana (“back, against, in return”), a reduplication of Proto-Germanic ga- (“with, together”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“next to, at, with, along”). Cognate with Icelandic gagn (“gain, advantage, use”), Swedish gagn (“benefit, profit”), Danish gavn (“gain, profit, success”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌴𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (gageigan, “to gain, profit”), Old Norse gegn (“ready”), dialectal Swedish gen (“useful, noteful”), Latin cum (“with”); see gain-, again, against. Compare also Middle English gaynen, geinen (“to be of use, profit, avail”), Icelandic and Swedish gagna (“to avail, help”), Danish gavne (“to benefit”). The Middle English word was reinforced by Middle French gain (“gain, profit, advancement, cultivation”), from Old French gaaing, gaaigne, gaigne, a noun derivative of gaaignier, gaigner (“to till, earn, win”), from Frankish waiþanōn (“to pasture, graze, hunt for food”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic waiþiz, waiþō, waiþijō (“pasture, field, hunting ground”); compare Old High German weidōn, weidanōn (“to hunt, forage for food”) (Modern German Weide (“pasture”)), Old Norse veiða (“to catch, hunt”), Old English wǣþan (“to hunt, chase, pursue”). Related to wide.
From dialectal English gen, gin, short for again, agen (“against”); also Middle English gain, gayn, gein, ȝæn (“against”), from Old English gēan, geġn (“against”). More at against.
From Middle English gayn, gein, geyn (“straight, direct, short, fit, good”), from Old Norse gegn (“straight, direct, short, ready, serviceable, kindly”), from gegn (“opposite, against”, adverb) (whence gagna (“to go against, meet, suit, be meet”)); see above. Adverb from Middle English gayn, gayne (“fitly, quickly”), from the adjective.
Compare Welsh gan (“a mortise”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. gain momentum
02. gain time
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/gain
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0