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
Relevance
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
Meditation is a pivotal force in attaining desires.
—
Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Decreasing food intake seems to be the most beneficial for attaining weight loss.
—Kim Pfotenhauer, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
Many other people reject formal education (for other people, though usually not for their own kids) as unnecessary to attaining the highest ranks of wealth and power.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Success will be determined around that goal — either attaining it or at minimum, looking like a real threat to do so.
—Varun Shankar, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026
Granted, his policy regarding Iran not attaining a nuclear weapon is a good one.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
Presenting decent, competitive teams with the prospect of attaining the best lottery odds will only further encourage those in the middle of the standings to hold a fire sale at the trade deadline to try to drop down.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
The first season ended on a final note, and became wildly popular upon its 2023 release, attaining the coveted top spot on the streaming viewership rankings and winning eight Emmys.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
For years, Dean Potter stood atop the climbing world, attaining a mystique as a rebellious spirit who carved his own path up mountains and into the sky — through BASE jumping and wingsuit flying.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Decreasing food intake seems to be the most beneficial for attaining weight loss.
—Kim Pfotenhauer, The Conversation, 22 May 2026
Many other people reject formal education (for other people, though usually not for their own kids) as unnecessary to attaining the highest ranks of wealth and power.
—Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
Success will be determined around that goal — either attaining it or at minimum, looking like a real threat to do so.
—Varun Shankar, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026
Granted, his policy regarding Iran not attaining a nuclear weapon is a good one.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
Presenting decent, competitive teams with the prospect of attaining the best lottery odds will only further encourage those in the middle of the standings to hold a fire sale at the trade deadline to try to drop down.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 17 Apr. 2026
The first season ended on a final note, and became wildly popular upon its 2023 release, attaining the coveted top spot on the streaming viewership rankings and winning eight Emmys.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
For years, Dean Potter stood atop the climbing world, attaining a mystique as a rebellious spirit who carved his own path up mountains and into the sky — through BASE jumping and wingsuit flying.
—Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attaining
Verb
-
For Southland Development Authority CEO Bo Kemp, fostering connections is key to achieving his goal of making the south suburbs a hub for economic development.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
-
Unlike standard carbon filters, these molecular cages force PFAS molecules to clump together inside a cavity, achieving a 98 percent removal rate.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program provides food assistance to those in very-low-income households which are those earning less than 130 percent of the poverty guideline.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
-
To ease the financial burden on the most impoverished, the government said tax exemptions would apply to micro-enterprises and those earning less than $680 a month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The game-winning goal was scored by sophomore midfielder Nathan Rogers, who finished the night with a hat trick.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
-
The idea of the song — ‘Jules Rimet still gleaming’ — is looking back at the 1966 World Cup rather than talking about winning the Euros.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Swalwell had been gaining in polls and racking up high-profile endorsements and his exit seemed to primarily benefit Becerra.—
Marisa Lagos,
NPR,
6 June 2026
-
Issuance has also spread out, with seven of the top 10 sectors gaining share against both 2025 and their 10-year averages.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Some of those bets took time to show returns — six years, in the case of his $1 billion investment in Cisco’s Silicon One architecture — but Robbins is now reaping the rewards.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
-
The combine/reaping machine cutting mechanism (1833) American inventor Obed Hussey patented one of the earliest practical mechanical reapers in 1833.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Woods, meanwhile, has been out of the country seeking treatment amid his DUI charge after obtaining permission to travel from a Florida judge.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
-
Trump has repeatedly indicated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon outweighs concerns about rising consumer costs.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
The results underscore Bass’ unpopularity as an incumbent, garnering just 35% of the vote so far.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
The sweet tribute quickly resonated with animal lovers everywhere, with a video of the moment garnering more than 12 million views on TikTok.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
That being said, Breslow confirmed that the Red Sox have explored making external additions to help the team.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
That has marquee potential with Coloradan star Sophia Wilson making her first club appearance in Denver.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attaining. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
