gotten
Definition
Verb (past participle of get):
- Obtained, received, or acquired: "gotten" is the past participle form of "get," primarily used in American English to indicate that something has been obtained, received, or come into possession.
- Become or caused to become: It can also describe a change of state or condition, as in "have gotten sick" or "have gotten tired."
- Arrived at or reached: In some contexts, "gotten" indicates movement or arrival, e.g., "have gotten home."
Usage distinction: In American English, "gotten" is common, while in British English, "got" is used as the past participle for most meanings, except in fixed phrases like "ill-gotten gains."
Usage Examples
- (I have obtained a new job.)
- (She has become very skilled.)
- (They have become lost.)
- (He has received a promotion.)
Advanced Usage
"Have gotten used to": to have become accustomed to something.
- After moving to the city, she has gotten used to the noise. (She has adapted to the noise.)
"Have gotten over": to have recovered from an illness, shock, or emotional difficulty.
- He has finally gotten over the flu. (He has recovered from the flu.)
"Have gotten away with": to have avoided punishment or negative consequences for an action.
- The thief has gotten away with the crime. (The thief has escaped punishment.)
Variants and Related Words
- Get (verb): the base form meaning to obtain, receive, become, or arrive.
- I need to get some milk. (I need to obtain milk.)
- Got (past tense): used in both American and British English.
- She got a letter yesterday. (She received a letter.)
- Ill-gotten (adj): obtained dishonestly or illegally.
- The ill-gotten wealth was confiscated. (The money obtained illegally was taken.)
Synonyms
- Obtained: received or acquired through effort.
- He obtained a degree. (He got a degree.)
- Acquired: gained possession of something.
- She acquired a new skill. (She got a new skill.)
- Became: turned into a different state.
- He became tired. (He got tired.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Get over: to recover from something.
- She has gotten over her cold. (She has recovered.)
- Get through: to endure or complete something.
- They have gotten through the exam. (They have completed the exam.)
- Get along: to have a friendly relationship.
- They have gotten along well since childhood. (They have a good relationship.)
Related Idioms
- Gotten under one's skin: to annoy or irritate someone deeply.
- His constant complaining has gotten under my skin. (His behaviour has annoyed me.)
- Gotten the upper hand: to gain an advantage or control.
- She has gotten the upper hand in the negotiation. (She has gained control.)
- Gotten a raw deal: to have been treated unfairly.
- He felt he had gotten a raw deal in the contract. (He felt unfairly treated.)