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
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
This includes today’s conventional AI and the rest of the pathway up to attaining AGI.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
However, building a reputation of enduring trust among connoisseurs is a crown that can only be attained by perseverance.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
About 95 percent are expected to attain finalist standing on the strength of an application detailing academic performance, participation in activities, employment and leadership.
—Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Residents work longer hours, are paid significantly less and are obligated to complete their training programs in order to attain specialty certification.
—Patrick Aguilar, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
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Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
However, building a reputation of enduring trust among connoisseurs is a crown that can only be attained by perseverance.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
About 95 percent are expected to attain finalist standing on the strength of an application detailing academic performance, participation in activities, employment and leadership.
—Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Residents work longer hours, are paid significantly less and are obligated to complete their training programs in order to attain specialty certification.
—Patrick Aguilar, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
Cite this Entry
“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attain. Accessed 12 Sep. 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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