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 is a historic opportunity, and adds to the SUCCESS, already attained, for PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!
—
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
The first four episodes of season five clock in at a little under five hours, making a subscriber’s investment of time to watch the first batch considerably shorter — and a view that much easier to attain for Netflix.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 2 Dec. 2025
The lower-hanging fruit are too easy to harvest, and the harder goals that would mark substantial and genuine progress in profitability too difficult to attain.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2025
Hair care and accessories brand Emi Jay has sold more than one million of its signature hair clips, which have attained cult status with the brand’s devoted customers, including Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
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Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
The first four episodes of season five clock in at a little under five hours, making a subscriber’s investment of time to watch the first batch considerably shorter — and a view that much easier to attain for Netflix.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 2 Dec. 2025
The lower-hanging fruit are too easy to harvest, and the harder goals that would mark substantial and genuine progress in profitability too difficult to attain.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2025
Hair care and accessories brand Emi Jay has sold more than one million of its signature hair clips, which have attained cult status with the brand’s devoted customers, including Gigi Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 26 Nov. 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 6 Dec. 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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