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
So there are a massive number of worlds out there where life could have evolved and attained sentience and spaceflight capabilities.
—
Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
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, 8 May 2026
Simpson told Billboard in 2023 that the credit was difficult to attain because so few women were producers back then.
—Margena A. Christian, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
But a big chunk of those bonuses can be difficult to attain in Year 1 for players.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
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Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
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, 8 May 2026
Simpson told Billboard in 2023 that the credit was difficult to attain because so few women were producers back then.
—Margena A. Christian, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
But a big chunk of those bonuses can be difficult to attain in Year 1 for players.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 6 May 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 14 May. 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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