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
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Recent Examples of attaining
In the photo, Alito has the look of a man attaining his destiny.
—
Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
His higher calling hit while attaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering and computer science from the University of Illinois and University of Illinois Chicago, says the 61-year-old pastor.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Liz Breadon, now the City Council president, added at the time that such a mistake could jeopardize an immigrant’s chances of attaining full citizenship.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
Oakland’s leaders envision their town attaining similar big-city status.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha as core to attaining enlightenment.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Anything that is found in the car after attaining consent can be used as evidence in court, according to Kann California Law Group.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Dual citizenship Henley & Partners is one of a number of companies that assists high-net-worth individuals in attaining dual citizenship around the globe.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 13 Jan. 2026
The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha himself as core for attaining enlightenment.
—Deepa Bharath, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026
Peter S. Canellos, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
His higher calling hit while attaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering and computer science from the University of Illinois and University of Illinois Chicago, says the 61-year-old pastor.
—Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Liz Breadon, now the City Council president, added at the time that such a mistake could jeopardize an immigrant’s chances of attaining full citizenship.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
Oakland’s leaders envision their town attaining similar big-city status.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha as core to attaining enlightenment.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Anything that is found in the car after attaining consent can be used as evidence in court, according to Kann California Law Group.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Dual citizenship Henley & Partners is one of a number of companies that assists high-net-worth individuals in attaining dual citizenship around the globe.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 13 Jan. 2026
The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha himself as core for attaining enlightenment.
—Deepa Bharath, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attaining
Verb
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Super Mario Galaxy is achieving a number other milestones, including delivering the year’s biggest three-day opening of the year so far, a record held briefly by sleeper hit Project Hail Mary.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Apr. 2026
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Because convection heat is more intense, lowering the temperature to 375°F instead of 400°F may help prevent over-browning while still achieving crisp skins and tender centers.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ryan Gusto, Andrew Nardi, Lake Bachar and Michael Petersen each pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen, with Petersen earning his first career MLB save.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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From 2019 to 2024, ARC billed the state over $400 million for psychoeducation and peer support, earning the company more than $125 million, about a quarter of all reimbursements paid to Kentucky providers during that time.—
Alex Acquisto,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In addition, Ken is an Emmy-award winning broadcaster for Fox Sports’ MLB telecasts.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The Heat is just one loss behind the Hornets and holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Charlotte after winning the regular-season series 3-1.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Among the most common varieties are white, whole wheat, and sourdough – but rye is another type that has been steadily gaining attention.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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As the Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, gaining Collins’ support will be crucial for the White House, as Republicans hold only a narrow majority in the upper chamber, making passage of more partisan legislation difficult without all GOP members on board.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, the highest-income households are reaping the biggest gains.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Downtown is reaping the harvest of seeds planted years ago, Taft said.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There is little comprehensive data on the number of people obtaining secondary passports or opening bank accounts overseas.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
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Its business strategy involves obtaining regulatory approval for a standardized commercial power reactor.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Equally important, but garnering less attention, have been the price increases for products made from energy, like nitrogen-heavy fertilizer, which is synthesized from ammonia, derived from natural gas.—
E.J. Antoni,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
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Pratt polled higher with white and Asian voters, garnering 12% of votes from each group.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The new law allows Britain to extend the reach of its criminal jurisdiction to crack down on migrants making the dangerous crossing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The unofficial queen of the flower crown, Vanessa Hudgens was spotted making her way through the crowd during Coachella 2012.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attaining. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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