attained; attaining; attains
2
: to come into possession of : obtain
he attained preferment over his fellows
3
: to come to as the end of a progression or course of movement
They attained the top of the hill.
attain a ripe old age
: to come or arrive by motion, growth, or effort
—usually used with to
will probably attain to a height of six feet
Synonyms
Examples of attain in a Sentence
a quest to attain enlightenment
She refused to let the injury keep her from attaining her goal of being in the Olympics.
This kind of tree can attain a height of 20 feet within just a few years.
The car can attain a top speed of 200 mph.
Recent Examples on the Web
Create your wealth building plan Create clear financial goals and build your plan to attain it.
—
Melissa Houston, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
If there is genuine political will in the new Trump administration to attain a sustainable peace in Ukraine, Washington can selectively apply the carrots and sticks of global trade to maximize pressure on U.S. allies and strategic foes to do more to curtail Russia.
—Alina Polyakova, Foreign Affairs, 31 Dec. 2024
But as Boise State enters the inaugural 12-team Playoff as a No. 3-seed from the Group of 5, the record — attained or not, contested or not — doesn’t change what Jeanty has achieved.
—Justin Williams, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
As to why the Bay State is seeing these high numbers, CBS affiliate WBZ attained data that shows an increase in traffic in the state between 2022 and 2023, with 5% more cars on the road in Boston, over 10% more in Newton and about 15% more in Framingham — to name just a few cities.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attain 
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Melissa Houston, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
If there is genuine political will in the new Trump administration to attain a sustainable peace in Ukraine, Washington can selectively apply the carrots and sticks of global trade to maximize pressure on U.S. allies and strategic foes to do more to curtail Russia.
—Alina Polyakova, Foreign Affairs, 31 Dec. 2024
But as Boise State enters the inaugural 12-team Playoff as a No. 3-seed from the Group of 5, the record — attained or not, contested or not — doesn’t change what Jeanty has achieved.
—Justin Williams, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
As to why the Bay State is seeing these high numbers, CBS affiliate WBZ attained data that shows an increase in traffic in the state between 2022 and 2023, with 5% more cars on the road in Boston, over 10% more in Newton and about 15% more in Framingham — to name just a few cities.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for attain
Articles Related to attain
Dictionary Entries Near attain
Cite this Entry
“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attain. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
attain
verb
at·tain
ə-ˈtān 
1
: to reach as a goal : accomplish, achieve
2
: to come to possess : obtain
3
: to arrive at : reach
attain the top of the mountain
—often used with to
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