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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 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 What came to me was a simple but valuable intuition that healing is not about attaining the grace of God, but about the loving freedom that comes from reflecting God! — Dilshad Khambatta Eames, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026 Financial firms are now gearing up to jump into the market in a different way, as executives like Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and KKR's Waldemar Szlezak see AI equipment attaining familiar money-making characteristics. — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026 One way to think about Mahler’s extravagant 90-minute exercise in his search for life’s meaning is as an exercise in attaining optimism in the face of tragedy. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 Interest in attaining at least a bare-bones understanding in computer science — and particularly AI-enhanced coding — has exploded across different majors. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 But while the landmark ruling reopens the path to citizenship for thousands worldwide, attaining it may be a different story. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attaining
  1. achieving
  2. earning
  3. winning
  4. gaining
  5. reaping
  6. obtaining
  7. garnering
  8. making
Verb
  • But achieving that kind of collaboration with the federal government could be an uphill battle.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The potential benefit may come less from achieving fluency than from the process of learning itself.
    — Karen Stollznow, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of achieving
Verb
  • The changing geography coincides with a growing Latino middle class, with nearly one-third of Latino households in Chicago now earning at least $100,000 a year.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The single stayed on the Hot 100 for over a year, and the album went gold, earning earned him a Grammy nomination for male pop vocal performance.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of earning
Verb
  • Manchin narrowly defeated Morrisey in 2018, but Morrisey mounted a political comeback in 2024 by emerging from a crowded GOP primary and winning the governor’s mansion.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Its star Matthew Rhys made history, winning two Leading categories in Comedy and Drama for Netflix’s The Beast in Me.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of winning
Verb
  • This combination is particularly relevant for aerospace and rail applications, where gaining recyclability at the expense of fire performance would be a rather poor trade.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Across the state, Muslim pitmasters are gaining recognition for putting their own spin on one of Texas' most iconic culinary traditions.
    — Ulaa Kuziez, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of gaining
Verb
  • The tech sector of the S&P 500 has seen its forward price/earnings multiple contract from 29 to 21 in the past year with the market unwilling to extrapolate the profit surge in the absence of a clear path back to reaping oodles of free cash flow.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
  • In today’s music industry, when artists aren’t reaping the full benefits of the recording economy because of streaming platforms, the live experience is as vital as ever.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of reaping
Verb
  • After obtaining a warrant for Ratliff’s arrest, police executed search warrants for two separate locations to gather evidence in the case Friday.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • For practices planning to bill Medicare, CMS outlines a separate enrollment process that includes obtaining an NPI, completing enrollment through PECOS and working with the appropriate Medicare administrative contractor.
    — Ajay Prasad, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of obtaining
Verb
  • He’s being recognized for his performance in Noah Segan’s The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, a project that is already garnering awards buzz.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Styles had begun working in the adult entertainment realm in 2021, garnering more than a million followers of his explicit content across social media and on OnlyFans.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of garnering
Verb
  • Those rumors haven’t gone unnoticed, with Bronwyn leaning into them by making a scissoring motion with her hands — but all in jest!
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • There are vegan options here, but the place is known for grinding their own ground beef on the daily and making their own mayonnaise.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of making

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attaining
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Cite this Entry

“Attaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attaining. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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