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 practical wisdom links knowing what is right and acting on that knowledge to attain human happiness or flourishing.
—
Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
What sets Prepared Food Photos apart is its effort to attain perfection in every photograph.
—Molly Peck, USA Today, 10 July 2025
The nonsectarian center hosts retreats that range from 3 to 13 nights, for a wide variety of experience levels, with a central focus on Theravadin teachings and bodhicitta (striving to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings).
—AFAR Media, 9 July 2025
That report cited a number of reasons for the struggle to attain the 2025 goals — and for the bay’s lackluster response to the pollution reductions achieved thus far — including the possibility that the Bay Program’s current computer model could be overestimating phosphorus reductions.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
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Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
What sets Prepared Food Photos apart is its effort to attain perfection in every photograph.
—Molly Peck, USA Today, 10 July 2025
The nonsectarian center hosts retreats that range from 3 to 13 nights, for a wide variety of experience levels, with a central focus on Theravadin teachings and bodhicitta (striving to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings).
—AFAR Media, 9 July 2025
That report cited a number of reasons for the struggle to attain the 2025 goals — and for the bay’s lackluster response to the pollution reductions achieved thus far — including the possibility that the Bay Program’s current computer model could be overestimating phosphorus reductions.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 8 July 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 18 Jul. 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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