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
However, the industry-wide goal of attaining human-like intelligence in AI systems will only make this content harder for people to spot, even with all the well-meaning government legislation in the world.
—
ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
During an immersive 30 minutes, ELEGY achieves something many postclassical records strive for but rarely attain.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026
Caine had not attained the rank of four-star general, and had never led a joint military command.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
The fundraiser said Solomon was born and raised in Ghana, eventually emigrating to the United States, attaining a nursing degree from Samuel Merritt University.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
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ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
During an immersive 30 minutes, ELEGY achieves something many postclassical records strive for but rarely attain.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 11 June 2026
Caine had not attained the rank of four-star general, and had never led a joint military command.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
The fundraiser said Solomon was born and raised in Ghana, eventually emigrating to the United States, attaining a nursing degree from Samuel Merritt University.
—Harry Harris, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
Cite this Entry
“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attain. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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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