1
as in to achieve
to obtain (as a goal) through effort
Napoléon had attained mastery of much of Europe at that point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to earn
to receive as return for effort
with hard work she will inevitably attain success in her chosen profession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of attain
The Australian government stepped in and worked with some players to attain a humanitarian visa.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Alon had worked in the family’s security business in the Miami area, while Oren and Tal attained fame and fortune as luxury real estate brokers in New York City and Miami.
—Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
The best way to attain them during this conjunction of Venus and Saturn in your financial zone would be to set careful guardrails around your spending.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Alireza Arafi, whose name has also come up as a potential successor, attained the rank of an ayatollah, or mujtahid, after publishing over 20 books and articles on Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy.
—Eric Lob, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Alon had worked in the family’s security business in the Miami area, while Oren and Tal attained fame and fortune as luxury real estate brokers in New York City and Miami.
—Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
The best way to attain them during this conjunction of Venus and Saturn in your financial zone would be to set careful guardrails around your spending.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Alireza Arafi, whose name has also come up as a potential successor, attained the rank of an ayatollah, or mujtahid, after publishing over 20 books and articles on Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy.
—Eric Lob, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for attain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attain
Verb
-
At the dinner, Norris spoke about how his politics put him on a path to achieve his life goal in helping youth focus on martial arts with his program Kickstart Kids.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
-
And the Zags have achieved that level of success over a generation.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Brownwood slips past Godley Brownwood’s Aiden Jimenez broke a 0-0 tie with the game’s only goal, off an assist from Raven Prado, as the Lions earned a 1-0 win over Godley in a Class 4A Division 2 bi-district match on Friday at Briles Stadium in Stephenville.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Mbiya also earned the praise of Kansas coach Bill Self, who called him KU’s second-best player in the game behind superstar Darryn Peterson.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Frederiksen's Social Democrats received the most votes and were seen winning 38 seats in Denmark's 179-seat parliament, results published early Wednesday showed, compared with 50 seats four years earlier.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Vargas unveiled Ohtani's mural in 2024, followed by another honoring Fernando Valenzuela in 2025, both years when the Dodgers won the World Series.—
Rina Nakano,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Gemini moon asks you to gain clarity around your priorities.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Nigeria’s conflict has been underway since 2010; in Somalia, the battle against al-Shabab has been going (badly) for more than 17 years; Sahelian jihadist groups have similarly been gaining ground for the past decade.—
Obi Anyadike,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, fewer than two-thirds of taxpayers reap refunds, according to IRS data for 2025.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
-
China is set to reap most of the gains from a surge in EV demand as the world’s top producer of electric vehicles.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While there’s no hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland—no passport checks on trains or buses—US and other non-UK travelers are required to obtain an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to enter Northern Ireland.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Bahrain put forward the proposal, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, as world powers grapple with how to release Iran's chokehold on the crucial waterway, which has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and threatened the world economy.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After Griffin garnered so much attention this spring because of his status as one of the game's top prospects, Kelly believed a return to the minors could allow the infielder to reassert himself.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
In February 1968, Chavez began fasting in protest of the farmworkers’ conditions – a move that garnered national media attention.—
Stephanie Elam,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Your 12th House of Inner Worlds hums as the Moon grumbles at combative Mars in your philosophical 9th house, making private worries flare when big debates start circling.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The terms were not disclosed and the judge did not make any order about costs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attain. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
