attain

[uh-teyn]

verb (used with object)

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

   to attain one's goals.

   Synonyms: secure
   Antonyms: miss

2. 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)

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

   to attain to knowledge.

2. to reach in the course of development or growth.

   These trees attain to remarkable height.

attain

/ əˈteɪn /

verb

1. (tr) to achieve or accomplish (a task, goal, aim, etc)

2. (tr) to reach or arrive at in space or time

   to attain old age

3. to arrive (at) with effort or exertion

   to attain to glory

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of attain¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of attain¹

C14: from Old French ateindre, from Latin attingere to reach, from tangere to touch

Synonym Study

See gain ¹.

Example Sentences

You say you’ve read it’s possible to pursue an early retirement after attaining $2 million, and that may very well be the case for some people.

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Those who pull themselves up by the bootstraps should be able to attain a life materially more comfortable than their parents’.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And because of these ongoing efforts, huge ecological side benefits have been attained and continue to be achieved.

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Of everything we’d worked to attain—from our college schoolbooks, to our Sunday best, to the materials we used for teaching—much of it had been destroyed.

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Fellow Englishmen Canter, John Parry and Jordan Smith have also attained membership, while Neergaard-Petersen's strong finish also secured a spot.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• complete 
• earn 
• gain 
• obtain 
• promote 
• reach 
• realize 
• reap 
• secure