attained
Americanadjective
-
reached or achieved, often after considerable time and effort.
Any country with a reactor and a fairly easily attained level of expertise can build an atomic bomb.
-
having reached a specified level of accomplishment; skilled or expert.
He was an eminent professor of religion and a highly attained mystic.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of attained
First recorded in 1590–1600; attain ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; attain ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
Regardless of what goes into the McRib or how it’s priced, the sandwich has attained a status that arguably makes it the most celebrated limited-time item in fast-food history.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
On April 14, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party attained a majority in Parliament thanks to by-elections and defections from the opposition Conservatives.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
They attained all their military objectives but were forced to withdraw by President Eisenhower of the United States.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
It wasn’t until 2022 that he attained the rank of ayatollah, the title given to a senior religious leader, and a prerequisite for anyone to become supreme leader.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
In the Wayles house, Betty Hemings came to occupy a position that few enslaved women attained.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
