attaining

verb

present participle of attain
1
as in achieving
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 earning
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 attaining Escapes interceptor, greater range ​During the initial testing in May 2019, the missile had a range of 150-260 miles (240-420 kilometers), attaining a maximum height on the ballistic trajectory of 30-37 miles (50-60 km). — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026 Beyond attaining eternal beloved status by Cubs fans for finally bringing a World Series title back to the North Side, their run to immortality had a profound impact on multiple levels. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026 EchoStar sold wireless spectrum to SpaceX last year, attaining a minority stake in the company ahead of its blockbuster IPO in June. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026 In fact, Anthropic’s widening its strategy for attaining new compute. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026 Devotion to the Amida Buddha is associated with a good death and rebirth in the Pure Land, a domain believed to be conducive to attaining buddhahood and enlightenment. — Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026 This older world is often focused on common American ideals of individualism and grit as the primary tools for attaining personal success. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 In other words, what happens when their agreeable or polite approach to attaining something doesn’t work? — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 But the White House cut its offices and weakened its ability to follow up with cases, as well as slashed funding to research on disparities that people of color face in getting diagnosed and attaining resources for disabilities. — Claire Sibonney, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attaining
  1. achieving
  2. earning
  3. winning
  4. gaining
  5. reaping
  6. obtaining
  7. garnering
  8. making
Verb
  • Her father still took a liberal view toward what the female brain was capable of achieving, but society did not.
    — Jeanna Smialek, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Technology can transform what organizations are capable of achieving.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of achieving
Verb
  • McDonald’s sometimes benefits in tough economic times, as higher-earning households trade down from pricier restaurants.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Credit cards can be a great way to help accomplish all your holiday shopping while earning rewards on your purchases.
    — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of earning
Verb
  • Five takeaways from the Miami Heat’s 115-109 win over the Utah Jazz (1-10) on Tuesday night at Delta Center to clinch a winning 3-2 five-game West Coast trip.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Going forward, Budd’s race will be one of the most expensive in 2028 and will be a test of whether Democrats can expand their foothold in the South after winning seats in South Carolina and possibly Mississippi.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of winning
Verb
  • For foreign intelligence services, gaining visibility into Nvidia’s hardware roadmap, advanced packaging methods, or executive decision-making would represent a major strategic breakthrough.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Penn State's offense dominated third downs early, gaining an average of 17 yards on their six first-half third downs and finishing 7-for-14 on third down and 2-for-3 on fourth down.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of gaining
Verb
  • Through the spring and summer the forest in this mountain backcountry had been blessed with abundant rainfall and the wild creatures were busy reaping the berries, seeds and other browse.
    — Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The County of Ventura 2025 Crop and Livestock Report shows strawberries as the county’s leading agricultural commodity, with growers reaping $808 million in wholesale revenue.
    — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of reaping
Verb
  • He is also accused of obtaining a leadership position in the Hampton Bays American Legion and stealing more than $81,000 from the organization.
    — Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • After obtaining search warrants, authorities seized about 27 items, including slides, film negatives and books, from the first unit.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of obtaining
Verb
  • Two ballot measures designed as poison pills against the billionaire tax are garnering strong support.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Rachel Weatherington, who challenged political newcomer Geramie Parrish in the Place 4 race, was ahead with 70% of the vote with Parrish garnering 30%, according to unofficial, incomplete results from Tarrant County.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of garnering
Verb
  • Black, who helped found private equity giant Apollo Global Management, accused Garcia of making maliciously false statements, citing statements the ranking member of the House oversight committee made in interviews.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Officials underscored the progress students have been making in the classroom.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of making

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Cite this Entry

“Attaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attaining. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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