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
Jordan Chandler went on to attain legal emancipation from both of his parents.
—
Amelia McDonell-Parry, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Observers say such appointments suggest the Coastal Commission has already begun to change in ways that pro-housing reformers seem keen to attain.
—Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Presenting decent, competitive teams with the prospect of attaining the best lottery odds will only further encourage those in the middle of the standings to hold a fire sale at the trade deadline to try to drop down.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
But before Apophis attained its infamous moniker, it was dubbed the less-exciting 2004 MN4 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
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.
Amelia McDonell-Parry, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Observers say such appointments suggest the Coastal Commission has already begun to change in ways that pro-housing reformers seem keen to attain.
—Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Presenting decent, competitive teams with the prospect of attaining the best lottery odds will only further encourage those in the middle of the standings to hold a fire sale at the trade deadline to try to drop down.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
But before Apophis attained its infamous moniker, it was dubbed the less-exciting 2004 MN4 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
