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
Radar provides real-time reads on inventory continuously, and the kind of data that otherwise would only attained online through e-commerce.
—
David Moin, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
These are only a few examples of the deep ties between higher education and the founding generation; approximately half of them attained some form of it—an impressively high level of advanced learning for the time.
—Time, 1 July 2025
Luke Walton matched his father with two NBA championships and also coached the Lakers, but couldn’t attain the cult status of Bill Walton, a UCLA legend whose quirky, outsized personality transcended his achievements on the court.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
How did these marine invertebrates attain such a bizarre body?
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
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David Moin, Footwear News, 1 July 2025
These are only a few examples of the deep ties between higher education and the founding generation; approximately half of them attained some form of it—an impressively high level of advanced learning for the time.
—Time, 1 July 2025
Luke Walton matched his father with two NBA championships and also coached the Lakers, but couldn’t attain the cult status of Bill Walton, a UCLA legend whose quirky, outsized personality transcended his achievements on the court.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
How did these marine invertebrates attain such a bizarre body?
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 26 June 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 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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