attain

verb

ə-ˈtān How to pronounce attain (audio)
Definition of attainnext
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

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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 Well before Diana attained princess status, Althorp was a favorite retreat of royals and a variety of politicians from around the world. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 July 2026 Yet the engagement process revealed a real problem that must be addressed if Chicago hopes to attain long-term fiscal sustainability. — Karen Freeman-Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Since then, a small group of these highways have attained the status of cultural icon. — Daniel Milowski, The Conversation, 29 June 2026 In our post-religious era—in which, beneath the cloak of secular humanitarianism, righteous religiosity and virtuous crusading remain as potent as ever—history has attained the authority, authenticity and prestige that religion and its prelates once possessed. — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for attain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attain
  1. achieve
  2. earn
  3. win
  4. gain
  5. reap
  6. obtain
  7. garner
  8. make
Verb
  • Those advantages are much harder to achieve as a standalone producer in today’s market.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026
  • Across 10 trials, the system achieved a 90 percent autonomous success rate with four robots and 70 percent with eight, while recovering from navigation errors and formation deadlocks without human assistance.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
Definition of achieve
Verb
  • Their latest victory was a 4-0 win over the New York Mets on Saturday, earned on the strength of Eduardo Rivera’s 3 2/3 scoreless innings, a key fourth-inning two-run homer from Andruw Monasterio and a late insurance shot from Masataka Yoshida.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Mason Miller earned his 24th save of the season in a scoreless ninth.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2026
Definition of earn
Verb
  • Wyatt Langford then hit one off the fence to drive in the winning run.
    — Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 10 July 2026
  • Conine certainly did his part to keep the Marlins’ winning ways going after Miami had a rocky start to the game on Thursday.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
Definition of win
Verb
  • Key strategies include acquiring certifications and completing short courses to gain specific competencies quickly.
    — Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
  • After gaining momentum from beating the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday and taking the first game against the Astros, the Rangers fell off and got dominated at home.
    — Cal Phillips Updated July 11, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 July 2026
Definition of gain
Verb
  • Research and development accounts for an average of just 4% of European countries’ defense budgets, compared to 10% for the United States – which reaps significant economic multiplier effects from that military spending.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • For the first time, both Nike and Adidas are reaping the benefits.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of reap
Verb
  • Exonerees in Georgia have a new pathway to obtain compensation from the state, which Pugh intends to pursue, but that process takes time.
    — Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • Authorities confirmed the match after obtaining his DNA from trash.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of obtain
Verb
  • Again, these are creators who are operating like studios, many of them churning out episode after episode and garnering a lot of views.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 8 July 2026
  • Goli recalled that one woman said that his design wouldn’t help her, garnering agreement from her peers.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of garner
Verb
  • The post also included a sweet selfie with her two younger sons, with Mateo smiling widely and Ciro making a silly face for the camera.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
  • Several eastern European countries, including Russian neighbors Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, have made significant progress toward the goal.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
Definition of make

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attacks
attain
attainability
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Cite this Entry

“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attain. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on attain

Nglish: Translation of attain for Spanish Speakers

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