did he obtain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "did he obtain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when inquiring about whether someone has acquired or received something in the past. Example: "Did he obtain the necessary permits for the construction project?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Not until later in the day did he obtain a full list of the voting by precincts that would show which had the highest number of unpunched ballots, so the party struggled in making its choice.

The New York Times

How did he obtain so many guns?

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Nor did he say whether it was obtained under duress.

The New York Times

Superior Court Judge Richard Williams said the state's plan to seize the parcels for an expansion of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino was flawed because it set no limits on what Mr. Trump could do once he obtained the land.

The New York Times

After doing so, he obtains the power to summon the giant he has set free.

Wikipedia

And in doing so, he obtained unanimous agreement from other board members, even though some Fed officials have been dubious about the need for a rescue.

The New York Times

Indeed, this area of the law is generally referred to as "unfair competition --unfair becompetition --unfairval's mark, the infringer competition --unfairnvestment of time, money and resources of his competitor; unfair also because, by doing so, he obtains the consusings harivalrned dollar through something akin to fraud.

Harvard University

The feds had a good idea what Fainberg would do if he obtained bail: informants reported that he was working with several powerful Israeli drug dealers in Miami who were going to help him flee to Israel; it is difficult to extradite Israeli nationals....He was eventually deported to Israel and announced that he was going to move his base of operations to Cuba.

The New Yorker

On 12 April 1345, he was granted a canonry in the diocese of Dunkeld with expectation of a prebend, but does not appear to have obtained this in practice, although he did obtain a different Dunkeld canonry with prebend on 12 May 1352.

Wikipedia

(Is that phrase an oxymoron?) Unlike Lane Kiffin, McDaniels doesn't have his dad to lean on any more nor does he have notoriety obtained from his name being dropped in rap songs.

Huffington Post

And it was generally believed, if he did obtain it, that he would wholly ruin Caius, whose power was already in a declining condition; and the people were not so apt to admire his actions as formerly, because there were so many others who every day contrived new ways to please them, with which the senate readily complied.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "did he obtain" when you want to inquire whether someone has formally or officially received something, such as a degree, permit, or approval. It's slightly more formal than "did he get".

Common error

Avoid using "obtain" in very informal conversations where "get" or "receive" would sound more natural. Using "obtain" in casual settings can sometimes sound overly formal or stilted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "did he obtain" functions as an interrogative clause, used to inquire whether a male individual successfully acquired or received something. As Ludwig shows, this phrase frequently appears in questions concerning achievements, permissions, or possessions.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "did he obtain" is a grammatically correct interrogative phrase used to inquire whether a male individual acquired something in the past. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is primarily used in neutral and slightly formal contexts, such as news reports and academic discussions. It is more structured than casual conversation, conveying a need for precision. While more formal alternatives exist, "did he obtain" remains a clear and effective way to ask about someone's past achievements or acquisitions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

did he get

An informal and common way to ask if someone obtained something.

did he receive

A more general term for getting something, without specifying how.

did he acquire

Focuses on the process of gaining possession of something, often implying ownership.

did he gain

Focuses on the benefit or advantage received from obtaining something.

was he granted

Focuses on formal permission or conferral, suggesting a process or authority involved.

did he attain

Implies achieving something through hard work or effort.

did he secure

Emphasizes the effort or competition involved in getting something.

did he procure

Suggests obtaining something with effort, often something difficult to get.

did he come by

Implies asking how someone got something, suggesting curiosity about the method.

was he given

Emphasizes that something was offered or presented to him.

FAQs

How can I use "did he obtain" in a sentence?

You can use "did he obtain" to ask whether someone received something, typically through effort or a formal process. For example, "Did he obtain the necessary visa for travel?"

What's a more casual alternative to "did he obtain"?

A more casual alternative is "did he get". For instance, instead of "Did he obtain the promotion?", you could say "Did he get the promotion?"

Is "did he obtain" more formal than "did he receive"?

While both are relatively formal, "did he obtain" often implies a more active effort in acquiring something, whereas "did he receive" simply indicates that something was given to him.

Which is correct, "did he obtain" or "has he obtained"?

Both are grammatically correct, but "did he obtain" is used to ask about a specific point in the past, while "has he obtained" implies a time frame up to the present. For example, "Did he obtain the license yesterday?" vs. "Has he obtained the license yet?"