Synonyms

attain

American

[uh-teyn] / əˈteɪn /

verb (used with object)

to reach, achieve, or accomplish; gain; obtain.

to attain one's goals.

Synonyms:

secure

Antonyms:

miss
to come to or arrive at, especially after some labor or tedium; reach.

to attain the age of 96;
to attain the mountain peak.

Antonyms:

miss

verb (used without object)

to arrive at or succeed in reaching or obtaining something (usually followed by to orunto ).

to attain to knowledge.
to reach in the course of development or growth.

These trees attain to remarkable height.

attain British

/ əˈteɪn /

verb

(tr) to achieve or accomplish (a task, goal, aim, etc)
(tr) to reach or arrive at in space or time

to attain old age
to arrive (at) with effort or exertion

to attain to glory

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See gain ¹.

Other Word Forms

attainability noun
attainable adjective
attainer noun
reattain verb (used with object)
unattaining adjective

Etymology

Origin of attain

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English atei(g)nen, from Anglo-French, Old French ateign- (stem of ateindre ), from unattested Vulgar Latin attangere (for Latin attingere ), equivalent to Latin at- at- + tangere “to touch”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“In China, if they have a long-term goal, they can attain it.”

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

And like anyone who has had to grow up too quickly, she struggles to attain real maturity.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Pereira was arrested in his room at an asylum hotel in Uxbridge, west London, and told officers about his "long and tireless battle with the Home Office to try to attain asylum", said the prosecutor.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

Companies due to report include Walmart, which recently became the first traditional retailer to attain a $1 trillion valuation, as well as Moody’s, DoorDash and Carvana.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

One of the tenets of our instruction here at Miss Preston's is to attain enrichment beyond the schoolhouse walls, an endeavor that often takes us into nearby Baltimore.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023