obtain

This word carries a sense of formality and intentionality. When used to mean getting something, it suggests a deliberate process, such as completing an application or exerting effort, rather than a chance encounter or a simple gift. It is common in legal, academic, and professional documentation. In its less common intransitive sense, the word describes the state of being an established rule or a prevailing condition. This usage is highly formal and typically appears in sociological or legal texts to describe norms that are currently in effect within a specific culture or jurisdiction.