attain

verb

at·​tain ə-ˈtān How to pronounce attain (audio)
attained; attaining; attains

transitive verb

1
: to reach as an end : gain, achieve
attain a goal
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

intransitive verb

: to come or arrive by motion, growth, or effort
usually used with to
will probably attain to a height of six feet
attainability noun
attainable adjective

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The teen's beatification took place in 2020, meaning the pope declared the teen attained the blessedness of heaven, and Acutis was given the title of Blessed. Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, inflation cooled in March, putting price increases well below a peak attained in 2022, fresh data last week showed. Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025 In fact, research suggests that at least half of those who attain leadership positions end up being ineffective, with many actively harming their teams, undermining morale, or driving dysfunction across their organizations. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Exchanging smiles seemed more important than attaining beauty: the thought of a fool. Sarah Miller, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for attain

Word History

Etymology

Middle English atteynen, from Anglo-French ateign-, stem of ateindre to reach, accomplish, convict, from Vulgar Latin *attangere, alteration of Latin attingere, from ad- + tangere to touch — more at tangent entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of attain was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attain. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

attain

verb
at·​tain ə-ˈtān How to pronounce attain (audio)
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
attainability noun
attainable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on attain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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