# gotten

/ˈɡɑtən/ (US) · /ɡˈɒtən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gotten
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. obtained or acquired

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describes something that has been gained or earned.

For teachers: obtained or acquired; almost exclusively used in compound adjectives like 'ill-gotten'.

- The criminals had to give back all their ill-gotten money.
- The investigation focused on the recovery of ill-gotten assets hidden in offshore accounts to avoid domestic taxation.

Usage: Usually appears as part of a compound adjective followed by a noun.

Teaching tip: This sense is rarely used alone; it is most common in the fixed idiom 'ill-gotten gains'.

## Examples

- I have gotten much better at playing the piano.
- By the time we arrived at the theater, the tickets had already gotten much more expensive.
- The project has gotten significantly more complicated since the initial requirements were drafted, necessitating a complete overhaul of the budget and timeline.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.