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
Only 6% of Gen Zers say their primary career goal is to attain a senior leadership position.
—
Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
These imperfect human beings want their children to soar in all aspects of their lives, in a society that often tries to make attaining their goals impossible.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 May 2025
Photo : Jasen Delgado, courtesy of RM Sotheby's Selling for about $20,000 in 1972—about the same as a Ferrari Daytona or Lamborghini Jarama—Maserati’s original Ghibli has never attained the market value of its contemporaries that have a horse or bull on the hood.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 May 2025
Closing off access to beaches in the area has required SpaceX to inform and attain permission from authorities in Cameron County, the southernmost county in Texas.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
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Mark C. Perna, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
These imperfect human beings want their children to soar in all aspects of their lives, in a society that often tries to make attaining their goals impossible.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 May 2025
Photo : Jasen Delgado, courtesy of RM Sotheby's Selling for about $20,000 in 1972—about the same as a Ferrari Daytona or Lamborghini Jarama—Maserati’s original Ghibli has never attained the market value of its contemporaries that have a horse or bull on the hood.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 7 May 2025
Closing off access to beaches in the area has required SpaceX to inform and attain permission from authorities in Cameron County, the southernmost county in Texas.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 29 Apr. 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 May. 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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