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
That figure marks a significant drop from a recent peak attained in 2023, but borrowing costs remain well above a 0% rate established at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—
Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The creatures on this list literally lack spinal columns…and yet attain relatively massive proportions.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Pushing unprepared students through high school and college diminishes the value of the degrees that students and families have sacrificed years and tens of thousands of dollars to attain.
—David Blobaum, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Be ready to boss up and take dominion of situations that are seemingly out of your control (but won’t be for long) to help attain a sense of security.
—Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
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Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
The creatures on this list literally lack spinal columns…and yet attain relatively massive proportions.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Pushing unprepared students through high school and college diminishes the value of the degrees that students and families have sacrificed years and tens of thousands of dollars to attain.
—David Blobaum, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Be ready to boss up and take dominion of situations that are seemingly out of your control (but won’t be for long) to help attain a sense of security.
—Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 30 Mar. 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 5 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
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