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
Min Aung Hlaing, who had attained the rank of senior general, last week relinquished his post of commander-in-chief because the constitution prohibits the president from simultaneously holding the top military position.
—
ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
In the photo, Alito has the look of a man attaining his destiny.
—Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Today, this is the basis of the Japanese sense of the seasons, which has also had a great influence on literature in Japan, especially with regard to haiku, the 17-syllable Japanese poem that has attained international popularity.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
The likeliest explanation is that supermassive black holes attain their size when two smaller black holes smack into one another during a galactic collision.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
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ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
In the photo, Alito has the look of a man attaining his destiny.
—Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
Today, this is the basis of the Japanese sense of the seasons, which has also had a great influence on literature in Japan, especially with regard to haiku, the 17-syllable Japanese poem that has attained international popularity.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
The likeliest explanation is that supermassive black holes attain their size when two smaller black holes smack into one another during a galactic collision.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 8 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 11 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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