gaining

"He is an unusual individual."

"The competition for this job is strong."

"The teacher's smile was a significant of approval for my hard work. "

"His rage only increased when I told him of the lost money."

"Seeing her children laugh brought her a great happiness. "

"He promised to never return to this town again."

"The teacher tried to conciliate the angry students by explaining the new rules more clearly. "

"a successful use of medicine;  a successful experiment;  a successful enterprise"

"The enemy had the advantage of a more elevated position."

"The candidate thanked her supporters for their hard work during the campaign. "

"The politician spoke at the school assembly about the importance of community involvement. "

"The library has possession of the rare book, even though it doesn't own it. "